WWWF All-Star Wrestling Review 09-02-78

Featuring the Fabulous Moolah! I sure hope Snickers doesn’t shut down this site…

WWWF ALL-STAR WRESTLING 09-02-78

All-Star Wrestling is taped from the Fieldhouse in Hamburg, Pennsylvania.
Taping date is August 30, 1978.  Your announcer is Vince McMahon

MATCH #1: WOMEN’S CHAMPION THE FABULOUS MOOLAH VS. VICKI WILLIAMS

[spacer height=”20px”]Referee is Dick Woehrle. Moolah appears to be at her heaviest here. You can tell she had a hold on the women’s division, because there’s no other explanation why she is champion.  Moolah tries to attack Vicki to start but the barefoot Williams fights her off. The women trade some leg locks. Vince refers to Moolah as a “hefty gal” and claims she’s 140 pounds… MY ASS. 180 easily. Moolah tries some dirty tactics on Vicki and Williams winds up tying Moolah in the ropes upside down. Vicki stands on the ropes to tighten it on Moolah as Woehrle tries to help Moolah escape. Moolah finally breaks free and charges at Williams from behind, but Vicki moves and Molah goes flying out of the ring.

Back in the ring Vicky biels Moolah. Williams tries for a flying headscissors, but Moolah dumps her over the top to the floor. Nice bump by Vicki. Moolah repeatedly boots Vicki off the apron. Williams finally yanks Moolah out of the ring and they fight on the apron. Williams slams Moolah over the top rope back into the ring. Vicki climbs back inside but realizes she has been counted out in 5:26.

Winner is Moolah by count out

Notes: .That was actually a lot better than I had feared. It started slow with the leg locks, but it got going after that and neither lady slowed it down. Nothing special, but it beats a Luke Graham match any day.[spacer height=”20px”]

MATCH #2: LUKE GRAHAM (w/THE GRAND WIZARD) VS. JIMMY RAY

Referee is Dick Kroll. First time I’ve noticed him. Oh for shit’s sake, couldn’t we go more than one show with Crazy Luke? Luke with his usual fake looking stuff. He lays Ray across the top rope and lays into him, sort of. Graham even half asses a hip toss. Poor Ray is trying to sell this offense, but it sucks. Choking galore. And here comes the taped thumb gimmick. Ray tries to fight back, but it just leads to more choking from Graham and another shot to the throat with the taped thumb. And after stalling for a minute he uses it again and this GARBAGE DUMP is over in 7:35.

Winner is Luke Graham

Notes: Seriously? He got 7:35? I would rather watch paint dry. This was ass. Sweaty ass.[spacer height=”20px”]

RINGSIDE INTERVIEW WITH THE GRAND WIZARD & LUKE GRAHAM

[spacer height=”20px”]Graham tells Vince McMahon that when all the tough guys get together they call Luke “BOSS”. Vince wants to discuss Graham’s use of the foreign object, which the Wiz & Graham deny. Wizard shows off a sign made by a fan that puts over the Grand Wizard. Heel fans in the 70’s, I love it. The poster board reads “Grand Wizard Will Guide The Golden Grahams To The Top”. Vince points out a bulge in the back of Graham’s tights, which is either the foreign object or he’s shit himself.[spacer height=”20px”]

MATCH #3: DOMINIC DENUCCI VS. BARON MIKEL SCICLUNA

Oh God no. Not these two right after a Luke Graham match. This one is back and forth. The crowd pops whenever DeNucci makes a counter or hits a move. Scicluna holds his own throughout the match. Dominic sticks Baron’s hand between Dominic’s legs. WTF is that about? Gross. Some fun with Woehrle and Scicluna as Baron mocks the referee’s count and to fool DeNucci and Woehrle becomes angered. The back and forth continues as Baron cocks back and accidentally elbows Woehrle as the two men refuse to separate in the corner. Looks like Woehrle calls for a double DQ in 7:23.

Some more comedy after the match as DeNucci picks up Woehrle to aid Woehrle in trying to dropkick the Baron.

Result is a double DQ

Notes: These last two matches have ran too long for what they are. The stuff between Dick Woehrle and Scicluna was the only good stuff in the match. It’s not good when the highlight of the match is a comedy spot with the referee.[spacer height=”20px”]

MATCH #4: “RUSSIAN BEAR” IVAN KOLOFF (w/LOU ALBANO) VS. FREDDIE MARZINO

[spacer height=”20px”]Referee is Dick Kroll. Koloff is a machine here, he’s all over Marzino, move after move, lots of aggression. Albano must have finished his fifth of vodka as he finally makes his way to ringside near the end of the match. Koloff comes off the top with the knee that he beat Bruno with for the title. That’s all she wrote in 1:38.

Winner is the Russian Bear

[spacer height=”20px”]Notes: That’s how you do a squash. It only went 1:38, but Koloff just mauled Marzino and did it with authority. A quick, solid heel squash.[spacer height=”20px”]

MATCH #5: “HIGH CHIEF” PETER MAIVIA & WWWF CHAMPION BOB BACKLUND (w/ARNOLD SKAALAND) VS. STAN “THE MAN” STASIAK & TONY RUSSO

[spacer height=”20px”]Referee is Dick Woehrle. Stasiak will start for his team, Maivia is all over Stasiak with takeovers, and Backlund tags in and cranks a headlock on Stasiak. Russo finally tags in and tries a dropdown on Maivia, but Peter drops down next to him and looks at Russo for a laugh from the crowd. Russo takes over on Backlund, but fails to notice Maivia has tagged in. When Russo finally realizes Peter is the legal man it leads to another laugh from the fans.

Okay, fun is over as Stasiak is back in and he takes over on the High Chief. Stan stomps Maivia out to the floor. Stasiak hammer son Maivia before tagging back to Russo. Stasiak holds Maivia for Russo, but Maivia moves and Russo winds up kicking Stasiak. Backlund tags in. The champion is all over Russo, but Bob winds up in the heel corner and Stasiak goes to Backlund’s throat. It allows Russo to get a couple shots in before Bob gets to his corner and tags in Maivia. Peter lights up Russo before Bob comes back in for the ATOMIC DROP and it’s over after 6:35.

Winners are Backlund and the High Chief

[spacer height=”20px”]Notes: You can see how far Stasiak as fallen, being paired with an enhancement worker to do a job for the World Champ and Maivia. Not a whole lot to this match. Everybody had a few moments to shine. Backlund scores the win in a rare TV match with the World Champion. Big time babyfaces teaming together used to always draw interest, but the match itself wasn’t much.[spacer height=”20px”]

Closing Thoughts: When Moolah is in the best match on the show, you can get an idea of where this show ranks. And then there was Luke Graham, who is so bad he makes the Baron enjoyable. The tag team main event was okay, but nothing worth recommending. Always nice to get a match with the World Champion on TV, but this show didn’t accomplish much. I’ll take a pass as a whole.

Our next edition of the Retro Rasslin’ Review looks promising… We’ve got Crusher Blaskwell, The Lumberjacks, and even a handicap match featuring ANDRE THE GIANT!