WWWF All-Star Wrestling Review 01-10-76

Moving right along, with the sole 1975 episode of All-Star Wrestling in the books, me move on to 1976.

Sit back and enjoy my Retro Rasslin’ Review for…

WWWF ALL-STAR WRESTLING 01-10-76

This episode of All-Star Wrestling is taped as always from the Fieldhouse in Hamburg, Pennsylvania. Taping date is January 3, 1976.  Your hosts once again are Vince McMahon and Antonino Rocca.

The video intro has changed here for 1976 with a full screen montage featuring Andre, Bruno, and others…

Vince runs down today’s program, we get some incoherent thoughts from Antonino Rocca, and it’s off to the ring and Joe McHugh!

 

 

 

 

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MATCH #1: BOBO BRAZIL VS. DAVEY O’HANNON

Our referee here is Dick Woehrle. O’Hannon is one of the more talented enhancement heels of the 1970’s. He’s the precursor to guys like the Brooklyn Brawler. Bobo is announced as the United States Champion, as he typically is, though this title is not recognized by the WWWF. There’s like zero commentary for the first minute or two of the match. Brazil owns O’Hannon, even doing the test of strength spot where he placed Davey’s hands on the mat and stomps them. O’Hannon responds with the crappiest looking choke I’ve ever seen. Bobo shrugs it off and lands a pair of his famous COCO BUTTS to end this thing after 7:40.

Bobo offers a handshake after the match, Davey shakes it but tries to jump Bobo. When Brazil sees him coming O’Hannon decides to bail.

Winner is Bobo Brazil

 

 

 

 

Notes: This went about 6:00 too long. Bobo was pretty restricted in what he could do at this stage in his career so this was really stretched out to eat up some time. O’Hannon bumped and sold well for Brazil, but this match wasn’t anything special.[spacer height=”20px”]

 

MATCH #2: LOUIS CYR (w/FRED BLASSIE) VS. PETE MCKAY

 

 

 

 

[spacer height=”20px”]Cyr is actually Gilles Poisson who spent most of his career in the Montreal territory, though he took the trip to the WWWF for a run here in ’76. His gimmick here is based on an actual strongman, also named Louis Cyr, who performed during the late 1800’s into the 1900’s. This is McKay’s first WWWF match, and I believe this may be Cyr’s as well. Wee Willie Webber is the referee here. Cyr dominates the contest with the usual kicking and punching medley of offense. His punches are awful. Cyr hits a nasty awesome Saito Suplex. NICE. A shoulder breaker ends it after 4:32.

After the match, Blassie distracts the referee so that Cyr can deliver a second Shoulder breaker to McKay for the fun of it. I would have preferred another of those Saito suplexes.

Winner is Louis Cyr

Notes: Cyr never did much outside of eastern Canada. He spent maybe 4 months here in the WWWF and later worked a bit for the AWA. Another basic squash.[spacer height=”20px”]

 

RINGSIDE INTERVIEW WITH “BIG CAT” ERNIE LADD

 

 

 

 

[spacer height=”20px”]Vince McMahon brings out the Big Cat. Ladd is as entertaining as he ever was here. He puts over the top heels of the time, which includes himself, Spiros Arion (who he calls Spiros Arias repeatedly), as well as his buddies Superstar Graham and Ivan Koloff. Quick story, Graham, Koloff, and Ladd formed their own little 3 man union back in the 70’s and bonded together to make sure they were paid top dollar and not ripped off. They knew their value and forced promoters to pay them every penny they thought they were worth.

Ernie craps on some of the baby faces. He calls Bobo an Uncle Tom, he says Ivan Putski is strong… under the arms… He calls Dominic DeNucci a stooge who wrestles guys to prevent people from getting title shots at Bruno. Ladd wants a title match with Bruno on TV so that he can humiliate him.

Ladd riles up McMahon, and Vince makes another awesome disgusted face. Time runs out as things start getting good. lol…

 

MATCH #3: “BIG CAT” ERNIE LADD VS. TITO TORRES & SYLVANO SOUSA

Dick Woehrle in charge of this one. Sousa worked as enhancement on TV for a long time. I’m not familiar with Torres. Ladd owns both men, beginning the match with Sousa, before kicking both of their asses at the same time. Big Cat with a BIG BOOT on Sousa, that barely touches Sylvano’s shoulder. Ladd goes into his trunks and supposedly loads his taped thumb. Ladd drives his taped thumb into both men’s throats before tossing Torres to the outside. Ladd throws Torres out of the ring a second time, but Tito slows down, stops, carefully steps through the ropes onto the apron, holds onto the ropes with both hands, and then gingerly falls off the apron. THAT WAS PATHETIC! Meanwhile Ladd drops a big leg and pins Sousa. While Woehrle is counting the 3 Ladd lands a kneedrop during the cover after 4:48.

That may be the first time I’ve seen someone execute a move WHILE already pinning a man.

Winner is Ernie Ladd

Notes: I can see why Torres wasn’t invited back for another taping. Ladd wasn’t exactly setting the world on fire with his wrestling ability by this stage in his career but he could talk people into the buildings, that’s for sure. Squash city.[spacer height=”20px”]

 

MATCH #4: WWWF TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS LOUIS CERDAN & TONY PARISI VS. BARON MIKEL SCICLUNA & VINCENTE POMETTI

 

 

 

 

[spacer height=”20px”]This is non-title action with Wee Willie as the referee. You may also know Cerdan by the name Gino Brito. Parisi also worked earlier in his career as “Bruno Sammartino’s cousin”  under his real name of Tony Pugliese. Lou Albano makes his way to ringside as the match starts to scout/annoy the champions. Pometti looks like he could play a Count. He certainly has a unique look. The Count and the Baron, now that would have been cool. In reality Pometti is nothing more than a TV job guy and the Baron is barely anything more by this point as well. Parisi does a hand spring off the back of the Baron and lands on his feet. Parisi is another guy I’m glad that there’s a little more footage available now of him. He was a really solid hand and made a great tag team wrestler. Parisi grabs Pometti by his beard and the referee yanks Tony away from the beard for a comedy spot. The champs continue to have fun with Pometti’s beard. The Baron is never tagged back in. Parisi drops a big elbow to get the win, even if it took Webber 80 years to get in place and make the count after 5:52.

Winners are Cerdan & Parisi

Notes: By looks alone, Parisi and Cerdan may look like a pair of stocky, interchangeable mid-card type of guys. BUT, if you watch them work you can see that both guys knew how to work a match, pop the fans, and Parisi was just a damn good worker in general and was very athletic for his body type. Cerdan (Brito) would also have a successful team with Dino Bravo in Einhorn’s IWA. Both men would be very successful in Montreal, with Cerdan even promoting there during the 80’s. Their work is underrated for this time period in this particular promotion.

 

MATCH #5: CRUSHER BLACKWELL & BUGSY MCGRAW (w/BLASSIE & GRAND WIZARD) VS. KEVIN SULLIVAN & FRANCISCO FLORES

 

 

 

 

[spacer height=”20px”]I gave you a little insight into Flores in my last review. Francisco is announced here as the ficticious “Mexican Heavyweight Champion”. And YES, Kevin Sullivan is indeed THAT Kevin Sullivan. Most people only think of Kevin’s 80’s and 90’s runs, but people forget that Sullivan spent much of the 1970’s in the ring as well. The match starts with the faces working on Blackwell’s arm, but soon Bugsy tags in and runs over Sullivan repeatedly. McGraw tries another tackle but runs into a big chop from Sullivan and Bugsy takes a huge bump before tagging back to Blackwell… Rocca’s commentary is annoying. I’m sorry, but it is.

The heels manage to take over on Sullivan and Bugsy sends Kevin to the floor. Sullivan fights his way back onto the apron buit Blackwell nails him and Sullivan gets his foot tied in the rope as he falls to the floor. As Kevin hands outside the ring he winds up being counted out while his partner Flores is distracted by Freddie Blassie. Sullivan winds up counted out in 5:38.

Winners are Bugsy & Blackwell by count out

Notes: This felt like the first 5 minutes of a 20 minute match. The feeling out process had just ended and we went right into one of the old go-to finishes during the 60’s and 70’s WWWF with the leg stuck in the ropes count out spot. Again, they didn’t even like to beat mid-carders on TV so Sullivan saves face by taking the count instead of being pinned here. Flores felt like garnish. Some sloppy spots here and the abrupt (and crappy) finish makes this match worthless, which is a shame because both Blackwell and Bugsy could really go in their prime.

 

Closing Thoughts: If you’re looking for springboards and 450 splashes, huracan ranas and suicide dives, this is not for you. Like the episode from 1975, there’s a few fun pieces to skip around and check out. Cyr’s Saito suplex of doom, Parisi and Cerdan’s spots with Pometti, Ladd’s promo and Vince’s facials, an early look at Kevin Sullivan, but in general the 1975 episode offered more.