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Post by wildojinx on Dec 21, 2018 12:32:11 GMT -5
Was just thinking about the first Wrestlemania. Which popular stars (who were with the company at the time) werent on the show at all? Don Muraco comes to mind, as do Rocky Johnson and Tony Atlas.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2018 16:13:25 GMT -5
Ivan Putski was kicking around. He had a bunch of matches with Muraco around this time, actually. (Muraco just came off of a feud with Hogan.)
Tony Atlas was a strange case. He'd still be employed, but started no-showing events. WrestlingData.com has 16 matches in March for Tony but only 2 in April.
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The Heenan Family
Unicron
I'm a legend in this sport. If you don't believe me, ask me.
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Post by The Heenan Family on Dec 21, 2018 17:10:58 GMT -5
Ken Patera is another one that didn't get a match. At the time he was managed by Heenan and tagging with Studd against Andre a lot.
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Post by OVO 40 hunched over like he 80 on Dec 21, 2018 17:29:59 GMT -5
Ken Patera is another one that didn't get a match. At the time he was managed by Heenan and tagging with Studd against Andre a lot. He couldn’t leave prison for a day to work mania.
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cjh
Hank Scorpio
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Post by cjh on Dec 21, 2018 17:42:49 GMT -5
Tony Atlas has claimed he showed up to MSG that day believing he was going to work with Bundy. Apparently, he was told when he got there that they didn't want him losing in a squash, then he was given around $1,000 or $2,000 for his trouble.
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Post by Joe Neglia on Dec 21, 2018 18:12:37 GMT -5
Ken Patera is another one that didn't get a match. At the time he was managed by Heenan and tagging with Studd against Andre a lot. He couldn’t leave prison for a day to work mania. Patera was working for the WWF at the time of Wrestlemania, worked shows that same week in fact. The trial didn't start until the very end of May, and he was sent to prison on June 5th. The actual incident had happened in April of 1984, while Patera and Saito were still working for the AWA, and Patera had been out on bail ever since. As far as who didn't work Mania 1, the following is a list of every major name and semi-major name that worked for the WWF in the month before WM1 that didn't work the show: Don Muraco Rocky Johnson Tony Atlas Ken Patera Ivan Putski Jim Neidhart The Cobra (George Takano), who was the WWF Junior Heavyweight champ at that time! Chief Jay Strongbow George Wells Rick McGraw (McGraw and Wells were both seeing minor pushes at the time) The Spoiler Mr. Wrestling II Bret Hart Dynamite Kid Davey Boy Smith (I believe all three of the above started just a week or two before the show) Les Thornton Angelo Mosca Jr Butcher Vachon (he only worked one show in March, so he may have been a last minute replacement on that show)
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Post by wildojinx on Dec 21, 2018 18:16:44 GMT -5
On a side note, though he did appear (albiet in a non-wrestling role), it's kind of odd that Jimmy Snuka didnt wrestle. They easily could have made the tag match a six-man (with Orton joining up with the Orndorff/Piper side).
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MolotovMocktail
Grimlock
Home of the 5-time, 5-time, 5-time, 5-time 5-time Super Bowl Champion 49ers-and Wrestlemania 31
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Post by MolotovMocktail on Dec 21, 2018 18:34:49 GMT -5
Pretty sure Hillbilly Jim was established as Hogan’s best friend at the time, surprised he wasn’t there.
Was Randy Savage on the roster at the time?
I’m guessing Orton’s arm injury was still legit enough (he hurt it at War to Settle the Score) to where he couldn’t do much outside that one spot.
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cjh
Hank Scorpio
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Post by cjh on Dec 21, 2018 18:38:45 GMT -5
Pretty sure Hillbilly Jim was established as Hogan’s best friend at the time, surprised he wasn’t there.
Was Randy Savage on the roster at the time?I’m guessing Orton’s arm injury was still legit enough (he hurt it at War to Settle the Score) to where he couldn’t do much outside that one spot. No, Savage didn't come to WWE until July. Here's the reason Hillbilly Jim missed the show: WWF @ San Diego, CA - Sports Arena - February 25, 1985 George Wells defeated Jesse Ventura via disqualification Ivan Putski defeated Jack Armstrong Don Muraco defeated SD Jones Paul Orndorff defeated Salvatore Bellomo Jimmy Snuka defeated Bob Orton Jr. Jim Neidhart defeated Swede Hanson The Junkyard Dog defeated Alexis Smirnoff WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan (w/ Hillbilly Jim) defeated Brutus Beefcake (w/ Johnny V); during the bout, Jim broke his leg when he slipped on a wet patch on the floor while chasing Johnny V around ringside; the injury forced Jim out of action for 7 months
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MolotovMocktail
Grimlock
Home of the 5-time, 5-time, 5-time, 5-time 5-time Super Bowl Champion 49ers-and Wrestlemania 31
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Post by MolotovMocktail on Dec 21, 2018 18:52:39 GMT -5
Yeah, I do remember Bret had seniority over Savage by just a little bit.
Another one missing was George the Animal Steele.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2018 19:14:57 GMT -5
Pretty sure Hillbilly Jim was established as Hogan’s best friend at the time, surprised he wasn’t there.
Was Randy Savage on the roster at the time?I’m guessing Orton’s arm injury was still legit enough (he hurt it at War to Settle the Score) to where he couldn’t do much outside that one spot. No, Savage didn't come to WWE until July. Here's the reason Hillbilly Jim missed the show: WWF @ San Diego, CA - Sports Arena - February 25, 1985 George Wells defeated Jesse Ventura via disqualification Ivan Putski defeated Jack Armstrong Don Muraco defeated SD Jones Paul Orndorff defeated Salvatore Bellomo Jimmy Snuka defeated Bob Orton Jr. Jim Neidhart defeated Swede Hanson The Junkyard Dog defeated Alexis Smirnoff WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan (w/ Hillbilly Jim) defeated Brutus Beefcake (w/ Johnny V); during the bout, Jim broke his leg when he slipped on a wet patch on the floor while chasing Johnny V around ringside; the injury forced Jim out of action for 7 monthsYou beat me to it. That was a huge deal losing Jim so close to WM.
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Post by Joe Neglia on Dec 21, 2018 19:25:24 GMT -5
On a side note, though he did appear (albiet in a non-wrestling role), it's kind of odd that Jimmy Snuka didnt wrestle. They easily could have made the tag match a six-man (with Orton joining up with the Orndorff/Piper side). Snuka was in the middle of a wrongful death lawsuit regarding Nancy Argentino (which he ended up losing). Vince did not want him on the actual card over that. Possibly why Patera was kept off the card too, since his trial was coming up shortly. Pretty sure Hillbilly Jim was established as Hogan’s best friend at the time, surprised he wasn’t there. Was Randy Savage on the roster at the time? I’m guessing Orton’s arm injury was still legit enough (he hurt it at War to Settle the Score) to where he couldn’t do much outside that one spot. Jim suffered a major injury on February 25 (exactly one month before WM), slipping at ringside, and wouldn't return to ringside as a manager until May, and active in the ring again until September. Savage wouldn't start until June 17, 1985. Given that the arm was actually broken, I'd say the month and a half between the two shows wasn't enough time for him to legit heal. Another one missing was George the Animal Steele. Steele wasn't with them at the time. Before Wrestlemania, he was doing that thing where he'd come in while school was out (he was a teacher). He only did one fill-in spot show for the WWF in 1985 before WM, and wasn't hired full-time until late April/early May.
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Post by OVO 40 hunched over like he 80 on Dec 21, 2018 19:52:07 GMT -5
He couldn’t leave prison for a day to work mania. Patera was working for the WWF at the time of Wrestlemania, worked shows that same week in fact. The trial didn't start until the very end of May, and he was sent to prison on June 5th. The actual incident had happened in April of 1984, while Patera and Saito were still working for the AWA, and Patera had been out on bail ever since. As far as who didn't work Mania 1, the following is a list of every major name and semi-major name that worked for the WWF in the month before WM1 that didn't work the show: Don Muraco Rocky Johnson Tony Atlas Ken Patera Ivan Putski Jim Neidhart The Cobra (George Takano), who was the WWF Junior Heavyweight champ at that time! Chief Jay Strongbow George Wells Rick McGraw (McGraw and Wells were both seeing minor pushes at the time) The Spoiler Mr. Wrestling II Bret Hart Dynamite Kid Davey Boy Smith (I believe all three of the above started just a week or two before the show) Les Thornton Angelo Mosca Jr Butcher Vachon (he only worked one show in March, so he may have been a last minute replacement on that show) That’s crazy, I thought the incident happened when they were in wwe. Vince hired a guy with a criminal trial coming up, how f***ed up is that.
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petef3
Don Corleone
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Post by petef3 on Dec 21, 2018 20:08:55 GMT -5
What's the actual source on Orton's arm being legit injured? Hogan slams his arm, already in a sling, into the ringpost while Orton's at ringside for the Hogan-Piper match, and the injury allows Paul Orndorff to come to the ring to "take his place," and set up the WM main event. Seems like straightforward booking to me.
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Post by CubsFan71 on Dec 21, 2018 21:22:32 GMT -5
Wasn’t Sgt. Slaughter still in the WWF at the time of the first Wrestlemania or am I misremembering?
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petef3
Don Corleone
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Post by petef3 on Dec 21, 2018 21:55:45 GMT -5
Wasn’t Sgt. Slaughter still in the WWF at the time of the first Wrestlemania or am I misremembering? Nope. Gone by September or so of '84.
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Post by Milkman Norm on Dec 21, 2018 22:11:21 GMT -5
Wrestling II was in WWF? Must have been the tail of the tail of his career.
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Post by Joe Neglia on Dec 21, 2018 23:23:19 GMT -5
Wrestling II was in WWF? Must have been the tail of the tail of his career. Pretty much. After Black Saturday, McMahon started recruiting former top talent from the area like Spoiler and Wrestling 2 to use as name-bait for WWF's shows in the south. They didn't get a lot of TV time, and were almost JTTS level in ways.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2018 23:28:57 GMT -5
Wrestling II was in WWF? Must have been the tail of the tail of his career. Around the same time as the "blink and you missed it" run of Mad Dog Vachon. There's even a Piper's Pit at the end of 84 where Mad Dog was the guest.
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Post by 2coldMack is even more baffled on Dec 22, 2018 18:37:17 GMT -5
Wrestling II was in WWF? Must have been the tail of the tail of his career. Pretty much. After Black Saturday, McMahon started recruiting former top talent from the area like Spoiler and Wrestling 2 to use as name-bait for WWF's shows in the south. They didn't get a lot of TV time, and were almost JTTS level in ways. The idea of The Spoiler(probably my all time favorite old school guy), even at the tail end of his career, in a JTTS role makes me so, so mad to even consider.
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