Educate me on the 70's and 80's

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

I was born in 1990. For years I've felt inferior as a wrestling fan, because I missed out on the 70's and 80's of professional wrestling, and I didn't have a dad or weird uncle that was into it enough to educate me. I had to find out on my own about wrestling, and that didn't happen until late-90's WCW.

I've gotten by talking about wrestling for a long time, because I pay attention and do the whole "smile and nod" thing most of the time. I've watched most of WWE's documentaries and career look-backs. I know that no matter how many tapes and DVD's I see, I'm still not going to like Hulk Hogan all that much. And I've watched probably 100 "Macho Man" Randy Savage matches and promos. But those are really the only ones I know a lot about. And so, rather than continue to be arrogant and pretend to know what I'm talking about, I want to turn to you wonderful life-long wrestling fans for help.

I'm most interested in Rick Rude, Ted DiBiase, Roddy Pipper, and Ricky Steamboat. Mostly Piper, because fans talk about him as the greatest heel of all time, and I don't know why. I wouldn't mind knowing more about non-WWF stuff during that time. I know WCW came out of NWA, but I don't know much about the NWA before that.

So, what are the most important matches, documentaries, or pay-per-views I should watch? Who are your favorites - I prefer good technicians and promo guys - I should learn more about? Help me Wrestlezone forums, you're my only hope...

 

[shattered dreams]

Be careful, I have a theory that anyone that doesn't like Hogan yet loves Cena is a dipshit.

 

[PsychoBlack]

Well from the preference that you gave here's what I'd suggest. Go to youtube and search Nick Bockwinkel, Ric Flair, Harley Race. Look up some of Roddy Piper's promo's. Watch Dusty Rhodes and superstar Billy Graham's promos against each other that was fucking epic. I'm younger than you are but I had one of those weird uncles to show me things like this. I primarily suggested lots of NWA stuff, but, you can also look up some WWE stuff. You said you dont like Hogan though and that pretty much was the 80's for WWE, however, the intercontinental title was always exciting during this period of time. If you don't do anything that i said the one match you must watch is Magnum TA vs Tully Blanchard in a steel cage i quit match I wont tell you to much just go watch it.

 

[Remy LaCroix]

Read Tenta's posts.

 

[Slyfox696]

Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage at Wrestlemania 3. You've probably seen it, but it's worth watching again. And again. And again. And again.

Greatest wrestling match ever.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage at Wrestlemania 3. You've probably seen it, but it's worth watching again. And again. And again. And again.

Greatest wrestling match ever.

I put that match a notch below Austin vs. Bret Hart at WrestleMania 13.

I know, I know - I'm wrong....

 

[PsychoBlack]

Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage at Wrestlemania 3. You've probably seen it, but it's worth watching again. And again. And again. And again.

Greatest wrestling match ever.

Ever?

 

[Lowdown]

Definitely check out any promo with the original Horseman. And just about anything with Ted DiBiase.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

Be careful, I have a theory that anyone that doesn't like Hogan yet loves Cena is a dipshit.

I know, and we've discussed that theory in the past. I personally think Cena is a much more exciting to watch in the ring, and his promos aren't all unintelligible rambling. Not the point. I definitely don't need to do any more watching of either guy.

Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage at Wrestlemania 3. You've probably seen it, but it's worth watching again. And again. And again. And again.

Greatest wrestling match ever.

I have seen it. Over and over again. And again. And again. But I'm going to watch it, again. Because it's that damn good.

After that, I guess I'm going to be diving into Piper and the Four Horsemen. Any particular matches/PPV's I should be looking for?

 

[The Dragon Saga]

Gelgerian's gonna be pissed when he sees you don't want to learn bout the '60's.

 

[klunderbunker]

If you want full shows, Wrestlemania I and III are shows that everyone should see at least once. WM II is never mentioned and it shouldn't be.

Hogan vs. Savage from Mania V is probably Hogan's second best match ever and is worth a watch.

The first Survivor Series holds up remarkably well and you'll see just about everyone of note from the 80s. Check out the 1988 version as well, but good freaking luck finding a full copy of it.

 

[Dirk]

Don't feel bad, though. You have a much better chance of making it to the new forties, then YOU can be all like "I remember seeing CM Punk back when he wasn't GM and he had this full head of hair" or "A long time ago, Wrestlemania meant something. I remember the Undertaker being 20-0."

 

[Uncle Sam]

Don't feel bad, though. You have a much better chance of making it to the new forties, then YOU can be all like "I remember seeing CM Punk back when he wasn't GM and he had this full head of hair" or "A long time ago, Wrestlemania meant something. I remember the Undertaker being 20-0."

Note to self: kill self before this happens.

 

[Gelgarin]

If someone offers to teach you about the 70's, run in the other direction. America in the 70's is an exceptionally dull subject. Most of the territories are stagnating, both the WWF and Jim Crockett don't start being interesting again until the dawn of the 80's. AWA is pretty much the only place where anything interesting was happening.

 

[Slyfox696]

I put that match a notch below Austin vs. Bret Hart at WrestleMania 13.

I know, I know - I'm wrong....

Great match, just not quite as good

Ever?

Ever. And I'd be surprised if anything ever surpasses it.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

If you want full shows, Wrestlemania I and III are shows that everyone should see at least once. WM II is never mentioned and it shouldn't be.

Hogan vs. Savage from Mania V is probably Hogan's second best match ever and is worth a watch.

The first Survivor Series holds up remarkably well and you'll see just about everyone of note from the 80s. Check out the 1988 version as well, but good freaking luck finding a full copy of it.

I've seen Mania I and III. Two years ago I watched all the past WrestleManias during the month leading up to Mania26. And I've seen the first SS, for the same reason, but last year.

 

[klunderbunker]

That's a good start at least.

The main idea of the 80s was everything changed the night Hogan won the title. It was completely different from anything else that had ever happened and showed that Vince's vision was going to dominate the business forevermore. The crowds kept getting louder and bigger and until about 1989, they never stopped cheering.

 

[Coco]

I'm younger than you are but I had one of those weird uncles to show me things like this.

So brave of you to open up like that.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

Shouldn't you have a clue about today's product before you venture back to the 70's and 80's?

 

[Dirk]

Deep burn!

 

[Gelgarin]

That's a good start at least.

The main idea of the 80s was everything changed the night Hogan won the title. It was completely different from anything else that had ever happened and showed that Vince's vision was going to dominate the business forevermore. The crowds kept getting louder and bigger and until about 1989, they never stopped cheering.

Yeah; that's an appropriate summary if you're penning an epigraph for a mediocre biography, but not much good if you're trying to give a reflection of what actually happened.

Billy Graham's title win in '75 marked a considerably bigger tonal shift in the industry than Hogan's, which changed nothing and simply highlighted changes which had already happened - both in the WWWF and the AWA years earlier. People confuse Hulkamania with the birth of sports entertainment, despite the two having essentially nothing to do with one another.

Vince had won the war long before the fired shot was fired. Hogan's rise is much like the battle of Waterloo; nicely symbolic, but largely irreverent from a historical perspective.

Whilst I'm on the topic of 'stuff that didn't matter one tenth as much as revisionist history would have you believe' I might as well add that the success or failure of Wrestlemania was largely insignificant to the WWF's rise.

This is why this era is so fuckin' boring to look at. All the stuff that is supposed to be important from a historical perspective turns out to be trivial, and all the stuff that was actually important never gets written about.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

Whilst I'm on the topic of 'stuff that didn't matter one tenth as much as revisionist history would have you believe' I might as well add that the success or failure of Wrestlemania was largely insignificant to the WWF's rise.

But in Vince's words, had the first Wrestlemania not been a success he'd have been bankrupt and the company would have finished, because he put everything into it, so whether its important to WWE's rise or not is a debate for another day, but it is a pivotal moment in WWE's existence today.

 

[klunderbunker]

Vince had won the war long before the fired shot was fired. Hogan's rise is much like the battle of Waterloo; nicely symbolic, but largely irreverent from a historical perspective.

I'm really not sure I would agree with that. Backlund had been champion forever and certainly wouldn't fit into the sports entertainment mold. Hogan had only been back with the company for a few weeks when he won the title and until he was signed, there was no one Vince had who could have spread things nationally like Hulk did.

 

[Gelgarin]

Vince "had" every wrestler in the country who didn't either hate him or have blood ties to one of the other promoters.

 

[klunderbunker]

Vince "had" every wrestler in the country who didn't either hate him or have blood ties to one of the other promoters.

Flair and Dusty wouldn't fit that category unless there's something I'm missing. Also that's not what I'm getting at. What I mean is most of the guys Vince had wouldn't have had the impact that Hogan had, especially given the success of Rocky III. Look at Super Sunday 1983 and Hogan's entrance to face Bockwinkel. The crowd nearly turns into a mob. You didn't get that kind of a reaction for Rocky Johnson or Tito Santana.