Tagged: Rock
25 years ago this week, one of the WWE’s greatest long builds culminated at WrestleMania V
When the Rock returned to pro wrestling a few years back and challenged John Cena a year ahead of schedule for the WrestleMania XXVII, it was the first time in years that you saw long-term planning on the part of the WWE.
One of the greatest examples of the long, slow build came in 1988 and 1989, when the late Randy “Macho Man” Savage and Hulk Hogan planted the seeds for their main event confrontation at WrestleMania V at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, NJ.
One year prior, Savage won the WWF Heavyweight Title in a one-night tournament at WrestleMania IV. At the time, Savage was a babyface, but there was still tension between him and Hogan due to their prior battles when Hulk wore the belt. These guys spent a year walking on a knife edge, and you knew where the story was going.
Embed from Getty ImagesThat’s the thing a lot of non-fans don’t get about wrestling. Sure, we know it’s entertainment and we often can correctly guess who will win in the end. But it’s how you get there that is the most intriguing part.
The WrestleMania V match had hints dropped Continue reading
Transcript of my interview with John Cena, Sr. about the first WrestleMania and Bruno Sammartino
I recently posted a podcast with John Cena, Sr. — the father of WWE superstar John Cena, who headlines WrestleMania 29 against the Rock — who talked to me about the first WrestleMania in 1985, Bruno Sammartino going into the WWE Hall of Fame, and his memories of the wrestling cards at the old Boston Garden. For those of you who were unable to hear the podcast or didn’t have time, below is the complete transcript of the interview. Continue reading
Savage began his first WWF Heavyweight Title reign 25 years ago at WrestleMania IV
It was 25 years ago today in 1988 that the WWF Heavyweight Title tournament took place at WrestleMania IV.
The tournament came about after the infamous title switch during which Andre the Giant pinned Hulk Hogan and then attempted to bequeath the belt to the “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase. Then-WWF President Jack Tunney ruled that while Andre had indeed won the title, he could not hand it over to someone else, and thus had vacated the belt. Tunney ordered the champion to be determined at Mania IV.
These days, title tournaments are commonplace, but in 1988 in the WWF, there had not been a championship tourney Continue reading
Great clip of entrance music for DiBiase, Hogan, Warrior, Rock … on piano
I had to pass on this YouTube clip I saw from OneHourTees.com that features piano renditions of the some of the top WWE wrestler entrances.
It includes nods to music for the Ultimate Warrior, “Million Dollar Man” Ted BiBiase, Hulk Hogan, the Rock, Continue reading
My podcast interview with John Cena, Sr.: The first WrestleMania, Bruno, and the atmosphere of the old Boston Garden
I had a lot of fun earlier this week interviewing John Cena, Sr., the father of WWE superstar John Cena. Cena, Sr. also works in the pro wrestling business, going by the name Johnny Fabulous for Massachusetts-based indie promotions.
It seemed appropriate to talk to Cena, Sr. as we approach WrestleMania XXIX, when his son will compete against the Rock with the WWE Heavyweight Championship at stake.
During our interview, Cena, Sr. talks about: Continue reading
My arguments for why CM Punk is the best heel champ ever in WWE history
On my blog, I tend not to stray too far out of the 1980s, but as we all know, wrestling lives on in 2013.
My friend, Eric Gargiulo, over at the Camel Clutch Blog gave me the spotlight this week to discuss CM Punk’s recently-ended WWE Heavweight Title reign.
Punk’s title run clearly set him apart as the greatest heel world champion in WWE, WWF, and WWWF history. Six months ago, I would have argued that Superstar Billy Graham held that honor, but Punk took things to a higher level before losing to the Rock at the Royal Rumble.
Royal Rumble 1988: Vince McMahon’s FU to the NWA
While 1988 wasn’t the year of the first Royal Rumble (the little-known original version was a flop in 1987), the ’88 Rumble was the first one nationally broadcast. It was a free show on the USA Network, which was great news for wrestling fans, but in reality the move to make it free was an assault against the NWA and Jim Crockett Promotions (which later morphed into WCW).
The story starts in 1987, when Crockett and Vince McMahon both promoted pay-per-views on Thanksgiving night (the first Survivor Series and Starrcade ’87). McMahon made a power play Continue reading
One of the most exciting moments from WWF Saturday morning wrestling: When Atlas and Johnson won the tag titles
If you want to see a small crowd go crazy for a title switch at a TV taping, check out the ending sequence of this match from late 1983, when Tony “Mr. USA” Atlas and Rocky Johnson defeated the Wild Samoans for the WWF Tag Team Title.
The match was big because Atlas and Johnson were the first African-American tag team to win the belts in WWF history. At least one African-American had held gold before in the WWF Continue reading
Transcript of my WrestleMania III interview with the Observer’s Dave Meltzer
I recently posted a podcast interview with Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer about the legacy of WrestleMania III. For those of you who were unable to hear the podcast or didn’t have time, below is the complete transcript of the interview, during which Meltzer discusess why so many people remember the Savage/Steamboat match, how Rock vs. Austin compares with Hogan vs. Andre, and why the often touted 93,173 attendance figure is wrong. Continue reading
Before WrestleMania, there was Showdown from Shea
Before the first WrestleMania ever hit Madison Square Garden in 1985, the WWF ran a series of outdoor supershows over an eight-period that were known as Showdown from Shea.
The venue was the old Shea Stadium in Queens, NY (former home of the New York Mets), and in all three events, Bruno Sammartino was the headliner: Continue reading
Boston Garden Balcony 