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WWWF Spectrum Wrestling (3.25.1978) Review

January 10, 2021 | Posted by Adam Nedeff
WWWF All-Star Wrestling 3-25-1978 Image Credit: WWE/Peacock
3
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WWWF Spectrum Wrestling (3.25.1978) Review  

-We’re off to the Prism Channel for action from Philadelphia. This is only 45 minutes’ worth of the show, so this is already a hard pass because they’ve deleted a Continental Nobleman match.

-It’s March 25, 1978.

-Your hosts are Vince McMahon & Dick Graham.

WWWF WORLD TITLE: BOB BACKLUND (Champion, with Arnold Skaaland) vs. SPIROS ARION

-They’re using what appears to be a REALLY small ring for this show. Like, Georgia TV taping-sized.

-Backlund starts with a waistlock and Arion has trouble fighting it. Arion tries to reach for the ropes and Backlund suddenly jerks him back for a German suplex and gets two. So it’s looking like the waistlock will be the centerpiece of this match. Arion gets to his feet and applies a side headlock, and even uses a few closed fists like the chicanerous individual he is, but even that won’t break Backlund’s Lauer-like grip across his waist.

-Backslide goes for the win with a backlund, but it only gets two. Arion throws one good shot to the throat and Backlund sells like like we’re in minute 45. Inside cradle by Backlund gets two, and Arion rolls to the floor to…recover from a cradle, apparently.

-Back in, Arion overpowers Backlund with a test of strength, but Backlund goes between the legs and backdrops him. Backlund tries another takedown, but Arion goes to the eyes. Backlund surprises him with a sunset flip for another two. Arion throws a kick, but Backlund gets his hands on the ankle and goes to work on the leg. Arion fights back with a boot to the groin, and Backlund yells “Argh! My groin!” as if assaulted by so much football.

-Arion kicks him out to the concrete, which has Dick Graham predicting a title change. You know, by count-out. Arion brings him in from the apron with a stomachbreaker for two. Body vice by Arion has Vince predicting a submission, but he doesn’t really have it on that well anyway, and Backlund slides out. Backlund rams him into the turnbuckle, but the referee gets bumped right as Backlund sets up for the atomic drop, so there’s nobody there to count three.

-Arion recovers and they have a fist fight while Skaaland frantically tries to wake the referee, and we get a totally weird finish as heels and faces frantically run to the ring and tell both guys to stop wrestling. Meanwhile the referee is taken from ringside on a stretcher, and that’s…it. That’s your finish. Also worth noting another referee ran in along with the wrestlers to break up the match so it’s like it doesn’t occur to this doofus, “You know, I could probably just take over here.” Crowd boos the shit out of this finish. 0 for 1.

BRUNO SAMMARTINO (with Arnold Skaaland) vs. KEN PATERA
-Patera attacks Bruno as he climbs into the ring, which has Vince wondering if this match is actually officially going to happen. Dick Graham reasons that a referee is standing in the ring, so there’s no reason we can’t have a match. Hey, yeah, good point, IF THERE’S A REFEREE IN THE RING, THERE’S NO REASON TO STOP IT. How ’bout that, Dick?

-Bruno fights back with a slam and a series of armdrags, and Patera runs for his life to the floor. Back in, Bruno traps Patera in a half-crab. Patera escapes and tries to get something going, but Bruno calmly armdrags him and Patera retreats again. Back in, Patera tries to apply the full nelson but Bruno just rams him into the corner and stomps the hell out of Patera’s neck. Bruno applies his own full nelson, but Patera makes the ropes and flops over onto the commentary table.

-Back in, the worst night of Patera’s life so far continues as Bruno applies a front facelock. Patera fights out and applies a bearhug. Bruno survives, but Patera attacks the back with forearm blows and reapplies the bearhug. Bruno fights out and applies his own bearhug, but Patera goes to the eyes to break it. Action spills to the floor and Bruno rams Patera into the post, and you’d thing this is going to be the finish, but no, they make it back inside, but no, then they go back outside. Bruno whacks Patera over the head with a chair and totally 100% deserves the DQ loss that he ends up with. 1 for 2. This was fine.

HAYSTACKS CALHOUN vs. NIKOLAI VOLKOFF

-Really weird to me that Nikolai is billed as from Mongolia. I know his original persona was Bepo Mongol, in kayfabe was he supposed to be the same person?

-Volkoff tries to attack before the bell and Calhoun shakes it off. Really surprising moment from Vince on commentary as he explains that Haystacks is billed at 601 pounds because that’s how he’s always been billed, but he’s really no more than 500 pounds. Yes, that is Vince McMahon explaining that wrestlers exaggerate their weight…oh, and then Nikolai misses a corner charge and Haystacks splashes him for three. Well, that was quick. 1 for 3.

3.0
The final score: review Bad
The 411
Mmm...nah.
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Adam Nedeff