Mat Quest is a chronological viewing guide to the WWE archive on Peacock. Jump in and follow along with us!
If you have been following along to this point and your familiarity with WWE is restricted to their current television, you probably have experienced some degree of culture shock. Today, the top stars in WWE make regular appearances on TV and nearly every episode of Raw and SmackDown features competitive, hard-hitting matches. Things were, as you can imagine, quite different in the 1970s, and not just because Vince McMahon, Sr., was still the promoter. Top stars appear rarely on TV and many of the matches are one-sided squashes. These two trends continue well into the 1980s; I can remember as a kid that it was a big deal anytime Hulk Hogan had a match on free TV.
But I digress…
Watching these episodes can be a slog at times but there are still some matches and segments that grab your attention. Here’s what stood out from the available offerings in the spring of 1976.
Stan Hansen vs. Bobby Schaeffer – Worth Watching
Hansen is back and still on the warpath. His jobber victim this week, Schaeffer, sells everything that Hansen does to him like it was death itself. This also marks the debut of Hansen using the lariat in WWWF. Hansen is just 26 years old here but he already shows the hard hitting and rugged in-ring style that made him a top talent in two continents. Hansen has an intensity and a violence to him here that is noticeably absent from the typical WWWF wrestler at this time.
Billy White Wolf vs. Skandor Akbar – Take it or Leave it
You might know White Wolf better as General Adnan, an Arabic Sheik character that had runs in both the AWA and WWF, the latter during Sgt. Slaughter’s Iraqi turncoat phase. White Wolf is actually from Iraq originally where he went to school with Saddam Hussein. Yes, that Saddam Hussein. Akbar is better known for his runs as a manager in Mid-South and World Class. There isn’t much to this match but you may find it interesting to see two guys who earned more renown as managers facing off in the squared circle.
Kevin Sullivan vs. Crusher Blackwell – Good
Competitive matches were rare on All Star Wrestling but they did happen. Case in point: this match between Sullivan and Blackwell. Sullivan is still about as bland a babyface as you can find, and far afield from the heel character he would take on just a few years later in Florida. The finish here is strange; the time limit expires but the referee awards Sullivan the win anyway. Odd, but the crowd doesn’t care and Sullivan celebrates like he just achieved a milestone victory.
Bobo Brazil vs. Bugsy McGraw (w/ The Grand Wizard & Ernie Ladd) – Worth Watching
Ladd is in Bugsy’s corner for some reason, which suggests shenanigans are afoot. Bugsy has been one of the highlights of this 1970s WWWF run for me, but what ensues here is more angle than match as Ladd jumps in and attacks Bobo after just a couple of minutes of action. Ladd once again summons Redd Foxx with his exaggerated sells of every strike, this time from Bobo, and the babyface locker room empties to provide reinforcements.
The Executioners vs. Pat Barrett & Johnny Rivera – Take it or Leave it
In the March 6 episode, Captain Lou Albano does an interview and hypes bringing in a new team that will become his fourth to win the tag titles. Their actual debut, in the March 13 episode, is not available so this is the first look at The Executioners. Who are these masked men? Killer Kowalski and a very young, rather lean John Studd. One interesting note; Barrett was one half of the tag champs less than a year ago but he gets treated as glorified enhancement talent here.
Andre the Giant vs. Ernie Ladd, MSG, 4/26/76 – Worth Watching
This is the first match featured in the Andre the Giant episode of Best of WWE on Peacock. Emanating from Madison Square Garden on April 26, what ensues in this battle of the big men cannot be called a good match but it succeeds as a spectacle. The pace is about as ponderous as you would expect; nevertheless, this is Andre at arguably the peak of his physical prowess. Ladd spends most of the match either running from Andre or languishing from clubbering blows or whatever hold Andre chooses to apply. Ladd uses the taped thumb to gain control then, in a twist, Andre uses the thumb against The Big Cat to the delight of the Garden crowd. It’s not long after that that Ladd decides he has had enough and retreats to the dressing room.
LINEUP & SUMMARY
All Star Wrestling, 3/6/76
Crusher Blackwell vs. Al Williams
Bobo Brazil vs. Johnny Rodz
Vince McMahon interviews Lou Albano & Freddie Blassie
Stan Hansen (w/ Freddie Blassie) vs. Bobby Schaeffer – Worth Watching
Pete Sanchez vs. Johnny Rivera
Billy White Wolf vs. Skandor Akbar (w/ Freddie Blassie) – Take it or Leave it
All Star Wrestling, 3/20/76
Pat Barrett & Johnny Rivera vs. The Executioners (w/ Lou Albano) – Take it or Leave it
Frank Williams vs. Johnny Rodz
Vince McMahon interviews Louis Cerdan & Tony Parisi
Pete Sanchez vs. Skandor Akbar (w/ Freddie Blassie)
Kevin Sullivan vs. Crusher Blackwell – Good
Bobo Brazil vs. Bugsy McGraw (w/ The Grand Wizard & Ernie Ladd) – Worth Watching
UP NEXT
A personal favorite feud of mine enters the spotlight as we wrap up 1976 with a pair of cards from Madison Square Garden.
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