80's WWF Expansion

http://culturecrossfire.com/etc/wrasslin-april-1984/#.V5ttSLgrLIU

One of my favorite months to review so far includes the kick start of the Rock n' Wrestling angle, Bill Watts returns to the ring for the "Last Stampede", two of the AWA's top heels are arrested after a melee with the cops, the seeds for "Black Saturday" are sown as Vince McMahon buys GCW, Japan changes wrestling forever by starting up a quasi shoot promotion, plus lots more news and results from around the Wrasslin' world in April of 1984!!
 
http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wwf-philadelphia-spectrum-551984/#.V62_E5grLIW

A look at the WWF's Philly Spectrum card from May of 1984 featuring Hulk Hogan battling the Iron Sheik, Sgt. Slaughter going to war with David Schultz, Tito Santana clashing with Greg Valentine, plus an appearance from a Japanese shooter, a rare appearance from Buzz Sawyer, and Wendi Richter gets the WWF hype machine behind her.
 
http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wrasslin-history-may-1984/#.V7f1tJgrLIU

May 84 sees Cyndi Lauper getting into it with Roddy Piper, Hulk Hogan is rumored to retire to star in a new TV vehicle, A WWF star begins the month as a champion and ends the month quitting, another AWA star defects to Vince, a riot breaks out in St Louis, the mighty Road Warriors suffer a rare loss, the NWA and AWA World titles change hands, Brody wins friends by missing TV tapings, WCCW held it's biggest show ever, Jim Neidhart caused chaos in Memphis, the Brisco Brothers fear they may be forced into a shoot, Crockett runs a big show in Vince's backyard and much more!
 
http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wrasslin-june-1984/#.V8FWUpgrLIU

June of 1984 saw Cyndi Lauper and Capt. Lou set up an battle for MTV, another major AWA stars defects to the WWF, JCP invades the WWF area with weak cards, St Louis has a oddball six-man match, GCW and WWF face off with stacked cards in Baltimore, Vince invades Minnesota with Verne's talent, A WWF champion appears on an AWA show, Mike Von Erich beats Ric Flair, Hogan and the WWF charges into Memphis to try and take down Jerry Jarrett - Memphis responds with a loaded show, Mid-South draws a big house for the latest Superdome event, Florida puts on a mega show to decide the "Lord of the Ring", JCP sees a beloved face turn to the dark side, plus the debut of rookie who would headline events for the next several years. Plus much more news and results from around the wrestling world!!
 
http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wrasslin-back-day-july-1984/#.V8l6qpgrLIU

July 1984: MSG is the site of the MTV special "The Brawl to End it All" with Cyndi Lauper giving the WWF her rub. The AWA loses yet another top guy to the WWF, A WWF Champion works for Verne Gagne in St. Louis, BLACK SATURDAY, the AWA focuses on several new feuds to try and bolster business, A long time heel hears cheers in Florida, JYD works his Superdome magic once again, Jerry Jarrett out duels McMahon, A ref headlines a WCCW card, a wrestler dies under mysterious circumstances, Jim Crockett is accused of being a racist, plus much more news and results!!
 
http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wwf-meadowlands-71584/#.V9PfQZgrLIV

One half of a double main event from the Meadowlands sees Hulk Hogan team with the massive Andre the Giant to tackle Dick Murdoch, Adrian Adonis and Big John Studd in a handicap match. The other half sees a bloody brawl between Roddy Piper and Jimmy Snuka. Mil Mascaras and Paul Orndorff also take part in under card action. Gorilla Monsoon provides the hyperbolic commentary, with some real whoppers along the way.
 
http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/the-brawl-to-end-it-all/#.V9qzAJgrLIU

The "Brawl to End it All" sees the WWF present the much hyped Wendi Richter vs. Fabulous Moolah grudge match live on MTV. Other bouts include a hard hitting World title match between champion Hulk Hogan and challenger Greg "the Hammer" Valentine, plus Tito Santana grapples with Bob Orton Jr. in a fantastic clash of technical greats, World tag champions Adonis and Murdoch attempt to upend Sgt. Slaughter and Pvt. Daniels in a fast paced battle, Antonio Inoki defends his Martial Arts title, twenty men clash in a battle royal, and other stars such as Paul Orndorff and Bob Backlund compete in singles action!
 
http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wrasslin-august-1984/

A remarkably busy month as Vince snags several more top talents, Bruno Sammartino returns to the WWF after settling his lawsuit with the McMahon family, a non WWF title is defended on TV, more promotions are gobbled up by the expanding WWF, a former World champ is fired, a top WWF heel releases a rock album, Ole Anderson strikes back at Vince for "stealing" his promotion, the Road Warriors score a major title win, Mid-South sees a local favorite turn to the darkside, Memphis runs some mega cards, Florida is dealt a death blow as Dusty Rhodes jumps to JCP, the long Freebirds/Von Erich war settles in on a final battle, and much more!
 
http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wrasslin-september-1983/#.V0hue5ErLIU

September of 1983 sees Ric Flair retiring due to injury, Dusty Rhodes finally ends his war with Kevin Sullivan, Masked Superstar tries to cripple Bob Backlund's friend, Vince's expansion plans start to become very evident, Duggan and Dibiase reach a climax in Mid-South, Andre faces monsters across the wrestling landscape, The Heenan Family implodes, plus an EPIC Dusty promo and lots of other news and notes!

Dat Dusty promo.


...Flair showed up on TV and chased Slater and Orton out of the arena with a bat.

More specifically, it was an aluminum "Skoal" bat LOL

Haven't been in the rasslin forum in a while; gotta say, I like the work you're doing, Tank.
 
I don't know what month it was, but '84 also gave us Dusty Rhodes' TCB Tour




...she's actually seen me put the figure four at a cocktail party on numerous people surrounding the area.
 
http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wrasslin-spectrum-9184/

Philly fans entered the Spectrum to see if Andre's giant fist could close Roddy's big mouth, plus the Samoans chase down Murdoch and Adonis, The Hammer is tested by Rocky Johnson, Polish Power meets Jesse Ventura, David Schultz appears to shoot on a jobber, a WWF champion suffers a career ending injury, Dick Graham delivers some terrible commentary and more action.....
 
http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/september-1984-wrestling/

September of 1984 saw the Freebirds fly out of the WWF, A major star's career is cut short due to a sudden medical incident, A former NWA champ debuts for Vince, Dusty positions himself as Flair's top contender, The Brain is banished from the AWA, a former world champ leaves Verne's roster, two all-time great teams clash in Chicago, Pro Wrestling USA debuts, Lawler teams with a long time foe, The AWA sabotages the Von Erichs expansion plans, A major heel turn rocks Texas, Watts attempts to replace JYD with Master Gee, Cornette is scalped, 34,000 fans witness a Puerto Rican Stadium supercard, JCP loses a top star to Vince and many more news and results!
 
http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/mlg-92384/

Toronto fans are offered up a rather pitiful card, full of bad refereeing, poor announcing, lousy matches, and botches...all sort of saved by a double main event of Andre the Giant facing Kamala and Sgt. Slaughter brawling with the Iron Sheik....this was a rough one to get through....
 
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