Mr. Dufour’s Wayback Machine: October 22nd, 1983 Philly Spectrum

Mr. Dufour’s Wayback Machine: October. 22nd, 1983

Welcome everyone to another edition of Mr. Dufour’s Wayback Machine where we review classic WWF shows of wrestle-years gone by.

Today we travel back to October.22nd 1983 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. Usually I take a peak at the card before I review them, but I found this show a long time ago and completely forget who was on this card. Hopefully it doesn’t suck like most Spectrum shows do. If I remember correctly, this was actually a pretty good looking show.

Your current champions are:

World Title: Bob Backlund
Intercontinental Title: Don Muraco
Tag Team Titles: The Wild Samoans

Your hosts for tonight’s action are Gorilla Monsoon and Dick Graham. Your ring announcer for the opening match is Mel Phillips

Match #1: Butcher Paul Vachon vs Tony Garea

Tony Garea was a mainstay on the opening two matches on major cards by this time. A quick side note: I’m surprised Tony Garea isn’t in the WWE Hall of Fame. Baron Scicluna and Johnny Rodz are in from his era and they don’t have NEARLY the WWWF/WWF accomplishments of Garea. Anyways, Garea is facing Butcher Paul Vachon who of course is the brother of WWF Hall of Famer Mad Dog Vachon and father of Luna Vachon. He would retire from in ring competition in 1984, so he’s definitely seen better days.

Vachon starts off with a top wrist-lock, but Garea is able to reverse it before Vachon flees to the ropes for safety. Vachon is able to get Garea in a nerve hold, and this match is moving at a VERY slow pace. Vachon works this hold for a couple minutes. Garea punches hit way out of it and hits a huge delayed body slam for a two count, followed by a backdrop for another two count. Garea attempts another backdrop, but catches a boot to the chest from Vachon. Vachon stomps on Garea chest twice before getting only a 1 count. Vachon again goes back to the nerve hold. Garea again punches out of it and man is he fired up! Garea pounds on Vachon before whipping him back and forth from one corner to the other, only stopping to deliver some knees to the stomach of Vachon. Vachon blocks Garea from attempting it again before throwing Garea into the ropes for a backdrop, but Garea sunset flips him for the 3 count! It must be a rule that the opening match ends in a sunset flip.

Result: Tony Garea @ 6:32 via sunset flip
Rating: * 1/4. It was a Tony Garea vs Butcher Vachon match…….

Match #2: Tiger Cheung Lee vs S.D Jones

Tiger Cheung Lee was tagging with Mr. Fuji at this time. He hadn’t yet started getting jobbed out, but he’s up against S.D Jones in Philadelphia so I don’t like his chances. S.D won quite a few matches over the years in Philly and actually refereed a Buddy Rose vs Bob Backlund World Title match on a Spectrum show that I will be reviewing shortly. This is S.D’s return to Philly after being put out of action for 3 months by the Samoans, so he gets a very nice ovation. Lee tries to whack Jones with his Kendo Stick, but the ref breaks it up.

The two lock up and Lee backs S.D into the corner. Lee attempts a cheap shot, but Jones ducks and delivers a couple of lefts, followed by a head butt. Jones then mocks Lee by bowing in front of him, which the crowd loves. Lee has already shown more emotion in this match that all of his other matches combined. It’s too bad he didn’t show it more because he’s pretty entertaining. Jones gains a side headlock advantage on Lee, but Lee gets a rope break. A cheap shot from Lee has Jones all fired up which causes Lee to cower in the corner. The two engage is some decent chain wrestling, trading hold for hold. Jones eventually takes control with a hammerlock and goes to work on the left arm of Lee. Lee gets to his feet and reverses the hammerlock into a standing wristlock, but Jones is able to armdrag Lee. A karate chop to the throat turns the tide for Lee who begins to work on the neck of Jones. Lee takes down Jones and works a reverse chinlock for a couple minutes. Jones eventually gets to his feet, but is yanked back down to the mat by his tights. Dick Graham states that “Lee has more moves than a 16 year old boy on a first date”. Lol fantastic. Jones finally gets to his feet and shoots Lee into the rope for an attempted backdrop but receives a kick to the face for his troubles followed by an elbow drop. Lee works a reverse chinlock while a loud “S.D” chant rings out in the Spectrum. Lee works the hold for another couple of minutes until Jones gets back to his feet. Lee hits a shoulderblock on Jones, but gets backdropped when he attempts another. Jones cracks Lee with a couple of lefts followed by a huge headbutt! Jones goes for the pin, but Lee gets his foot on the bottom rope. Jones whips Lee into the corner which causes Lee to go upside down into the turnbuckle. Pretty impressive for a guy Lee’s size. Jones throws Lee into the corner and attempts a corner charge, but Lee gets out of the way. Lee climbs to the top rope but gets thrown off by S.D which gets a two count! Jones hits a headbutt and goes for a running crossbody, but Lee rolls through for the three count! Well I’ll be damned.

Result: Tiger Cheung Lee @ 12:04 via rolling through an attempted crossbody
Rating: ** 1/4. That was the best I’ve ever seen Tiger Cheung Lee look. Why couldn’t he bring this to every match?

Match #3: Tito Santana vs one half of the WWF Tag Team Champions: Sika

Afa and Sika won the tag straps off the God awful team of Jules and Chief Jay Strongbow in March. The Strongbows might be the worst tag team champions that I’ve ever seen next to the Yukon Lumberjacks of the mid 1970’s. The Samoans would go on to the lose belts two weeks later to Rocky Johnson and Tony Atlas. Many people might not know this, but Tito Santana won the tag straps in 1979 with Ivan Putski. They were a pretty good team in my opinion. Tito would go on to feud with Don Muraco for the I.C title, later winning it in February of 1984.

It’s a tentative start to the match as the two appear to be feeling each other out with neither gaining much of an advantage. Tito catches Sika with a right hand that the crowd pops big time for. Tito might not be my favourite but he is definitely over. Sika grabs a foreign object out of his tights, but puts it right back when the referee notices Sika go to his tights. Great psychology by Sika. You don’t see wrestlers do little things like that anymore. The ref later pats Sika down, but Sika now has the object in his hand! Tito and the crowd react loudly over this. Sika later hits Santana in the back of the head with whatever object he appears to be holding (you don’t actually see what’s in Sika’s hand, and there’s a good possibility that it’s nothing. Just a tactic to fool the audience) to gain the first real advantage in the match. Sika stomps Tito right out of the ring to the concrete. Santana makes it to his feet and his back in covered in dirt and garbage from the Spectrum floor. Yuck! Sika goes to the outside and slams Santana’s head onto the ring apron and later the ring post! Santana repeatedly tries to re-enter the ring, but is met with a Sika stomp each time. Sika attempts to attack Santana outside the ring, but Santana is able to fight Sika off. The two re-enter the ring and it’s all Santana who peppers Sika with a series of right hands and boots to the mid section before Sika rakes the yes of Santana. Sika resorts to dirty tactics as he attacks Tito with choke holds, fish hooks and rakes to the back. A headbutt and a forearm to the chest get a two count for Sika. Sika then catches Santana coming off the ropes with a back elbow for another two count. Tito attempts to make a comeback but misses a corner charge on Sika. Then it’s Sika who misses a corner charge and Tito flies off the ropes and catches Sika with the nicest looking flying forearm that I’ve ever seen Tito throw for the three count! Man did that ever look sweet! Dick Graham gives it back to back “Woooo’s”!

Result: Tito Santana @ 9:38 via flying forearm
Rating: ***1/2. Very good match! Tito was building towards the I.C title, so this was a nice showcase match over a current champion. The crowd enjoyed this and so did it. Well done!

Match #4: Iron Mike Sharpe vs Swede Hanson

Now this should be a fun match. Swede Hanson was winding down his career at this point. He’d win the odd match here and there, but he was mostly a JTTS. Adam Nedeff shares my love for Iron Mike Sharpe. He was managed by Captain Lou Albano at this point. Albano isn’t here as the managers didn’t make every show during this era. Mostly MSG and the syndicated shows to promote future bouts. Sharpe actually had a World Title shot a the Philly Spectrum in 1983 and went on a lengthy winning streak during this year. I’m serious. I love how Hanson became a face while carrying a giant Confederate Flag to the ring. Sharpe is greeted by chants of ‘wimp” as he walks to the ring. Sharpe is animated like usual. This is a special grudge match as Sharpe walked out on Hanson while they were teaming together one month ago. Hanson and Sharpe teaming together? I need to find that match.

Sharpe immediately bails to the floor and stalls. The crowd is all over Sharpe. Sharpe gets into the ring and backs into the corner. He tries to catch Hanson with a boot to the stomach, but Hanson catches his foot and boots Sharpe right in the inner thigh. Hanson then stomps a mudhole into Sharpe stomach, followed by a headbutt and a loud chop that sends Sharpe back outside the ring. Sharpe rolls back into the ring and then rolls right back out when Hanson goes to attack. I know some people finding Sharpe’s stalling annoying, but I find it hilarious as Sharpe is always so animated. Sharpe finally gets into the ring and is met with a series of Hanson right hands. It’s been all Swede Hanson as Swede continues to punch and kick the living hell out of Sharpe. Sharpe finally catches Hanson with a couple of right hands and then rakes his forearm brace across the face of Swede. Sharpe then chokes Hanson on the ropes and beats Swede down to the mat with a series of knees to the back. Sharpe begins to target the throat of Swede, but gets caught in a bearhug coming off the ropes. Sharpe is able to get a rope break, but that doesn’t stop Hanson from beating Sharpe down with some vicious right hands. The action is getting heated as it’s now Hanson choking Sharpe on the ring ropes. Sharpe breaks Swede’s momentum by drilling Hanson in the back of the head with his forearm brace. Sharpe then works a reverse chinlock for a bit before beating Hanson down in the corner. Sharpe misses a corner charge though and his shoulder slams into the ring post. Swede then goes to work on the forearm brace of Sharpe and tries to take it off, but Sharpe is able to roll to the outside. Sharpe gets back into the ring and again Swede tries to get the forearm brace off Sharpe, but again Sharpe is able to roll to the outside. Swede attempts this for a third time, but again Sharpe rolls outside the ring, only this time Swede follows him out. Swede goes for it a fourth time, but as the ref intervenes Sharpe adjust the brace and nails Hanson over the head with it for the three count. That was the only pinfall attempt in the entire match. For whatever reason, after Mel Phillips announces the decision, Sharpe runs back to the ring to try and attack Hanson. Hanson though beats the ever-loving shit out of Sharpe and actually gets the forearm brace off and nails Sharpe with it. Monsoon claims to see a shiny piece of metal in it, but I think Gorilla might be seeing things.

Result: Iron Mike Sharpe @ 11:07 via forearm brace to the head
Rating: ** 3/4. You may think this is over-rated depending if you’re into the antics of Sharpe, but I found it to be an enjoyable match.

Match #5: Sicilian Stretcher match for the WWF Heavyweight Championship: (Champion) Bob Backlund (with Arnold Skaaland) vs Sgt Slaughter

The rules of the mach are simple: in order to win, your opponent must be stretchered out of the ring. Anything goes! These two feuded in 1980 and again in 1983. Backlund had many opponents throughout his lengthy title reign, but I’d have to say his feuds with Slaughter are my favourite. These two always deliver and it’s a shame that many fans haven’t seen Slaughter during this era because he was incredible. This match sadly took place less than two weeks after the death of Slaughter’s manager The Grand Wizard. Backlund of course would go on to lose the title to the Iron Sheik in a little over two months time.

Before the action begin Backlund does a neat symbolic action by picking up referee Danny Davis and sitting him on the top turnbuckle as to say “you won’t be needed tonight”. Slaughter begins the match pounding on Backlund and immediately goes to his tights for some tape and begins strangling Backlund with it. Backlund appears to be fading, but is able to get to his feet and use his own momentum to send Slaughter over the top rope to the outside! Slaughter gets back into the ring but takes an absolutely incredible bump that you have to see to believe : Backlund looked to for a piledriver but instead jumped with Slaughter’s head between his legs. Anyways, Slaughter took a half back bump/reverse somersault and propelled himself over the top rope. That’s as best as I can describe it. Backlund follows Slaughter outside of the ring and slams Slaughter’s head into the ring post. Slaughter is dazed, but is able to regain himself enough to slam Backlund’s head onto the ring apron and announce table!

The two get back into the ring both looking a little worse for wear, but Slaughter is able to gain the advantage. Slaughter drapes Backlund neck just over the outside edge of the ring apron and delivers two vicious elbow drops and then slingshots Backlund’s neck into the bottom rope! Graham remarks that “the slingshot didn’t work properly because Backlund’s neck caught the bottom rope”. I think that’s what he was going for Dick. Backlund tries to fight back by punching an headbutting Slaughter in the knee. Slaughter delivers an atomic drop to Backlund, but injures his knee in the process. This is awesome, we have Backlund selling his throats and Slaughter selling the knee. It’s a great visual. Slaughter goes in for the attack but is met with a Backlund forearm and a vertical suplex that has struggling to their feet. Backlund goes for a pin and Davis starts counting even though it’s a stretcher mat. Lol some kid in the crowd screams “it’s a stretcher match you dumb ref”. The crowd sits very close to where Monsoon and Graham do their announcing so when the crowd yells shit their mic’s pick up EVERTYHING. Backlund shoots Slaughter into the turnbuckle, but the Sarge rebounds and hits the Slaughter Cannon. Slaughter tries to get to his feet, but his knee gives out and he takes a hilarious front face bump. The crowd is loving this. Backlund hits a belly to back suplex on Slaughter as both men lay on the mat exhausted. Slaughter gets to his feet first and hits another Slaughter Cannon, followed by a dropkick. Slaughter goes for another dropkick, but Backlund catches Slaughter’s legs and slingshots him into the turnbuckle. Slaughter staggers into the middle of the ring and gets caught in the cross-faced chicken wing! Slaughter is out! Two additional referees load Slaughter onto the stretcher, but instead of carrying him out of the ring they just pick him up and dump him outside of the ring through the middle and bottom ropes! Ha! Slaughter locks Backlund in the Cobra Clutch post match, but Arnold Skaaland gets into the ring and nails Slaughter in the head with the belt! Backlund dropkicks Slaughter over the top rope to end the action.

Result: Bob Backlund @ 12:39 via cross-faced chicken wing
Rating: ***1/4. Pretty good brawl with some great selling by both men. These two never fail to deliver, but I still felt this match was just missing that little something.

Before out next match we head to the back for an interview with Kal Rudman, Bob Backlund and Arnold Skaaland. Oh boy. Backlund talks about how great Skaaland and the fans are, especially the special kids he visits. Skaaland reiterates how Backlund is a champion inside and outside the ring. Rudman asks Backlund to describe how the cross-faced chicken wing works which Backlund describes in great detail. Nice little interview.

Match #6: South Pacific Strap Match For the Inter-Continental Championship: (Champion) Don Muraco vs Jimmy Snuka (with Buddy Rogers)

Well I might have to take back all the things that I’ve said about Spectrum shows lacking. I’ve always thought the pairing of Snuka and Rogers was odd. They brought in Rogers to speak for Snuka (and to babysit), but Rogers at this point wasn’t any better than Snuka was on the mic. Those Rogers Corner segments were awful. The rules of the match are: anything goes. The ways to win are by pinfall, submission or if your opponent releases his strap. This should be amazing.

Muraco is very reluctant to put his end of the strap on. The crowd is ALL over Muraco. Lots of fans telling him that he’s #1! (ugh did I just just a Dick Graham joke). Snuka finally loses his patience and headbutts Muraco, which allows the ref to slip the strap on the dazed Magnificent One. Muraco tries to escape between the ropes, but Snuka yanks him back in. Snuka pulls Muraco in and chokes him with the strap! Muraco low blows Snuka to prevent being choked out. Muraco then grabs and strap and pulls it across the eyes of Snuka as a loud “beach bum” chant rings out in the crowd. Muraco then whips the living hell out of Snuka with the strap. Man, did Muraco ever lay those in. Muraco later wraps it around his fist and begins punching Snuka with it. Snuka fights back with a series of headbutts and punches. Snuka then slams Muraco’s face in the mat so hard that he does a front flips after impact. Snuka then lays in a punch with the strap wrapped around his fist and bust Muraco open! Muraco is bleeding profusely as the crowd comes out of their seats! Snuka actually whips Muraco in the face with the strap! Snuka slams Muraco in the middle of the ring and hits a second rope fist drop with the strap wrapped around it, but Snuka chooses to choke Muraco with the strap, rather than go for the pin! Amazing camera work as Snuka drapes Muraco’s head over the top rope and hangs Don with the strap! You can just see and feel the pain in Muraco’s face! Snuka continues to pound on Muraco’s face, but as he bounces off the ropes for an attempted huge right hand, Muraco pulls the ref in between them and the ref gets nailed!!! As all three men lay on the mat, Muraco crawls over and takes off Snuka’s strap! What a shithead! Muraco then whips the ever loving shit out of Snuka with the strap! Snuka fights back and begins to hog-tie Muraco with the strap, but the ref comes to and sees the strap gone from Snuka’s wrist. He calls for the bell!!!!! Snuka ignores the bell and finishes tying up Muraco and heads to the top! SUPERFLY SPLASH ON A HOG TIED MURACO!!!!! The crowd goes crazy!!!!!!

Result: Don Muraco @ 8:44 via untying Snuka’s strap
Rating: ****1/4. My God was this ever exciting. Muraco is in my opinion the greatest I.C champion of all time. Amazing story of Muraco not wanting anything to do with this type of match and willing to anything to get out of it. This is why I love watching these shows. There’s so many hidden gems to discover. My only gripe and it’s a big one: this match was WAY too short.

Match #7: Rocky Johnson vs one half of the WWF Tag Team Champions: Afa

I’ve always thought Rocky Johnson bared an uncanny resemblance to Marc Mero. Anyways, as previously stated The Wild Samoans would lose the tag belts to Rocky Johnson and Tony Atlas in roughly two weeks.

Afa hits Rocky with his tag belt as Rocky climbs through the ropes. A second shot sends Rocky back through the ropes and to the arena floor. It happened before the bell, so no disqualification I guess. Rocky is selling the hell out of the belt shot as he eventually makes it to his feet and crawls back into the ring. Afa continues his attack on Rocky with some vicious stomps. Rocky doesn’t even have his ring jacket off yet. Afa later sends Rocky into the rope for an attempted back drop, but receives a boot to the mush for his troubles. Rocky is all fired up as Afa bails to the outside. Rocky goes out after him and slams Afa’s head on the guardrail and the ring post! Afa climbs back into the ring with a crushed beer can hidden in his hand an wallops Rocky in the face with it. Afa follows it up with a diving headbutt and a choke on Rocky. Afa tries to bring Rocky back to his feet, but he’s cut off with a series of right hands. A loud “Rocky” chant breaks out in the Spectrum as Rocky peppers Afa with rapid fire jabs in the corner! Rocky smashes Afa’s head on the turnbuckle and drops a fist to the face. The two start thumbing each other in the eye in a weird spot with Rocky getting in the last shot. Afa gets on his knees and begs for mercy. This distracts the referee enough for Afa to low blow Rocky which causes Rocky to fall between the ropes and to the arena floor. The two brawl outside of the ring for a bit, but as Afa gets back into the ring, Rocky hits a Thesz Press for the three count! Afa attacks Rocky from behind post match and hits diving headbutt after diving headbutt.

Result: Rocky Johnson @ 10:05 : via Thess Press
Rating: ***. That was a fun little match. Rocky was very over with the Philly and the two kept the action going throughout the match. I’m not the biggest Rocky Johnson fan, but he definitely showed up to work tonight

Match #8: The Invaders vs Don Kernodle and Rene Goulet.

So we are greeted by the odd sight of Frenchman Rene Goulet and Don Kernodle holding up a giant Confederate Flag. Glad to see the South and the French set aside their differences to battle Puerto Ricans. As stated in another review; the Invaders are Johnny Rivera and noted Brody killer Jose Gonzalez. They seemed to be on the fast track to the tag straps, even beating the Samoans in a non-title bout earlier in the year if I remember correctly, but the straps of course went to Atlas and Johnson.

Rene Goulet starts out with Invader #1 and the two engage in some great chain wrestling with neither getting the edge. Goulet gets Invader #1 in a side headlock, but Invader #2 gets the blind tag and puts Goulet in a side headlock and takes him over. Goulet tries to roll Invader #2 into a pin numerous times, but is unsuccessful. Goulet eventually makes it to his a feet and punches Invader #2 in the bread basket to gain the advantage. Goulet then takes Invader #2 and tries many unsuccessful pin attempts as well. Invader # 2 though leaps to his feet and monkey flips Goulet across the ring. The two lock up, but Kernodle is able to tag himself in. He puts #2 in a fireman carry position and drops #2 throat first across the top rope. Kernodle then launches #2 over the top rope. Kernodle drops a knee on #2 for a two count as he rolls back into the ring. Kernodle hits #2 with a vicious elbow coming off the ropes and drops an elbow for the two count. Tag into Goulet who continues the assault on #2. Quick tag to Kernodle who hits an atomic drop on #2 and then throws #2 over the top rope again. #1 goes to check on #2 outside the ring, so Kernodle beats them both up! He tosses #2 back into the ring and then sends #1 into the guardrail. Kernodle is a bad ass! Tag into Goulet who immediately fucks up which causes #2 to make the tag! Invader #1 is in and hit starts beating the piss out of Kernodle and Goulet and later whips Goulet into Kernodle! #1 catches Goulet coming off the ropes with a huge dropkick for a two count. Goulet rakes the eyes and takes down #1 and later locks in a top wrist-lock from the ground. #1 rolls out of it and locks in a head scissors. Goulet rolls over it into a pin attempt, but #1 is able to bridge out of it. A thumb to to eyes regains the advantage for Goulet who tags in Kernodle. #1 sunset flips Kernodle for a two count, but Kernodle immediately regains the advantage. Kernodle tags in Goulet and the two catch $2 coming off the ropes with a double back elbow. #1 and Goulet both tag their respective partner at the same time and #1 goes to town on Kernodle hitting a huge back drop. All four men are now in the ring. As Goulet is being directed by the ref into his corner, Invader #2 slingshots #1 into a sunset flip over the hunched Kernodle for the three count!!

Result: The Invaders @ 11:57 via sunset flip.
Rating **1/2. Nice match to end the show. Kernodle in particular looked very impressive. It’s too bad things didn’t work out for him in the WWF.

End of Show: Final thoughts and rating

That was a hell of a show! Some of these shows can be a chore to sit through at times, but this one was good top to bottom. Even the usual suckage suspects like Rocky Johnson and Tiger Cheung Lee came to play tonight. The Muraco- vs Snuka match was incredible and the Backlund vs Slaughter match delivered like it always did. Great show!

Final Rating: 9