Mat Quest, Chapter 6: Late 1976

Mat Quest is a chronological viewing guide to the WWE archive on Peacock. Jump in and follow along with us! In this installment, we clear off another year of footage… with many more years and a mind-boggling amount of footage still to go. I continue to wonder about the future access of this archive. WWE has been rather active putting content on YouTube as of late, both through its pre-existing Vault channel and new channels for NXT and WCW. There’s also a healthy helping of back episodes of NXT now available through Tubi.

What does that mean for the future of the agreement with Peacock, which currently is set to expire about a year from now?

Not the foggiest idea.

No time to speculate, friends… we’ve got a lot of footage to get to still, so let’s get to it as we wrap up 1976. Before we dive into the Peacock content from the latter half of 1976, though, a quick detour is in order.

Get ready for the first “side quest” in the viewing guide.

Bruno Sammartino defends the WWWF Heavyweight Title vs. Stan Hansen, 4/26/76 – Standout

I dipped into the private cache for this one, first because it involved an all-time favorite in Hansen; and also because it sets up the main event for the August 1976 event at Madison Square Garden. A young Hansen, looking rather unlike himself with his shaggy mop of blond hair, challenges the beloved Sammartino for the title. The historic value here is high because Sammartino legitimately breaks his neck during the match, the first step in a series of events that eventually leads to him dropping the title because he can no longer maintain the required schedule. What available footage we have joins the match in progress and the crowd is pipin’ hot for the action. Hansen is using a “loaded” elbow pad during this WWWF run and uses said pad to lariat Bruno in the face. Sammartino bleeds buckets and the referee stops the match. This is pretty action-packed by the standards of the time and definitely worth watching if you can find it.

MSG, 8/7/76

GREAT

Cage Match: Bruno Sammartino defends the WWWF Heavyweight Title vs. Stan Hansen

More than 22,000 fans packed the Garden for this event, headlined by Bruno getting his revenge against Hansen, who received storyline credit for breaking the neck of the champion. The fans are so eager for this one that a mere mention that the cage match is next sends a ripple of excitement through the crowd prior to the introductions for a real snoozer of a bout between Victor Rivera and Baron Mikel Scicluna.

This version of the cage match is where escape is the only way to win, and it was a pretty standard way for Bruno to blow off a feud during his salad days; the other was a Texas Death Match, like his battle with Spiros Arion from the prior year. Bruno is at his best when he is full of fire and throwing punches and kicks in bunches at his opponent, and this match has plenty of that. The packed crowd goes wild at his opening salvo and maintains that energy. Sammartino dominates this match, and Hansen’s strategy seems to be to try and run away and get out of the cage before Bruno can stop him. It’s the type of structure that, if it was used today, probably would provoke podcast hot takes and lengthy written diatribes about how Hansen got “buried.” Any changes to the way the match played out would have distracted from Bruno’s violent retribution, and the crowd’s shared schadenfreude in the pummeling of the burly challenger from Texas. After using Hansen’s own loaded elbow pad to beat him to a bloody pulp, Bruno tosses the gimmicked object to the mat with disdain and calmly walks out of the cage like a boss — after getting a couple extra shots in for good measure, of course. Once exited, Bruno casually heads right back up the aisle like he’s got somewhere better to be.

It’s also worth noting that Hansen emerges from his time in WWWF using the supposed loaded elbow pad by using an incredibly stiff lariat that knocked the dogshit out of hundreds of wrestlers in the ensuing quarter century or so he remained active.

Worth Watching

2/3 Falls: The Executioners defend the WWWF Tag Titles vs. Dominic DeNucci and Jose Gonzales

This card is basically built around that one match, as most of the other offerings are too short to be memorable (much less good) but this is a solid tag bout. As mentioned in our last installment, the Executioners are a towering duo of masked men and the rulebreaking champions du jour in the stable of Lou Albano, following in the footsteps of duos like the Valiant Brothers and the Blackjacks. Killer Kowalski and John Studd are underneath those hoods. The challengers include Gonzales, who gains greater fame in his native Puerto Rico as Invader #1 and then permanent notoriety for stabbing Bruiser Brody to death in a locker room in Puerto Rico in 1987.

This is pretty paint by numbers at times, but the crowd is engaged and elevates what’s happening in the ring. When DeNucci and Gonzales tie the match at one fall apiece, the fans erupt. Gonzales has a good showing of himself and I enjoyed some of the little touches; in the third fall, Kowalski sells the attrition of the rather lengthy match by being to fatigued to climb the ropes in his corner.

Kevin Sullivan vs. Bruiser Brody

The Madison Square Garden debut for Brody, who makes quick work of Sullivan in less than five minutes. This is noteworthy for the historic value, and if you just enjoy watching Sullivan continue to work his later established type as the blandest of fan favorites.

MSG, 10/25/76

Standout

Special Referee Gorilla Monsoon: Ivan Putski vs. Stan Hansen

Hansen definitely is a highlight of the available 1976 catalog from WWWF. He stands out through his appearance, his willingness to make things appear snug, and a general rugged offense that is quite different from the typical wrestler on this roster in this time. Here he takes on the beloved Putski, who usually produces pretty skippable matches. Not so here, as from the moment he steps through the ropes, Putski comes at Hansen with fists-a-flyin’ in a red hot start. These two don’t overstay their welcome and engage in a pretty high-energy brawl with a couple of holds worked into the mix. Bonus points for Gorilla Monsoon, who continues to show surprising spryness for a man of his heft and height, sliding into position to make three counts or check submissions like he’s the size of Mark Curtis and not a super heavyweight.

Good

3/5 Falls: Andre the Giant, Chief Jay Strongbow & Billy White Wolf vs. Bruiser Brody & The Executioners

Sit back, fire up your streaming device of choice and feast your eyes on what is believed to be the only existing footage of a match that pits Andre the Giant against Bruiser Brody. That alone would qualify this match for the Worth Watching tier, but the ensuing bout is pretty damn solid. With six wrestlers involved, there are enough moving pieces to keep things interesting. Highlights include a very fun hot tag by Andre in the first fall and cleaning house in the fourth and decisive fall. Watching a nimble Andre in his prime wreck shop is a treat and also a testament to his sad decline as age and his condition caught up to him. Meanwhile, all of the interactions between Andre and Brody feel solid, likely in part because these are the only ones we have to review. I definitely recommend seeking out this one.

Jose Gonzales vs. Tor Kamata

Gonzales eats a pretty quick loss in a match designed to position Kamata as the new dangerous rulebreaker in town. Vince McMahon touts Kamata as “undefeated and untested”. He provokes the crowd well with an exaggerated and prolonged pre-match salt ceremony. Once the bell rings, he has some good facial expressions and, despite lumbering at times, good explosion on strikes to both take control and win. I probably liked this more than most would.

Other Stuff

If you are a Bruno Sammartino completist, he defends against Nikolai Volkoff as part of this same card but the match is such a slog I cannot recommend it.

MSG, 11/22/76

Once again stepping into the set of compilations released on Peacock to pluck something from the archive, as Bobo Brazil faces Bruiser Brody. The biggest positive to this is that it provides more rare footage of Brody in the WWF. The match itself is downright boring and when the bell rings to signal a time-limit draw, I was honestly pretty glad it was over.

LINEUP & SUMMARY

MSG, 8/7/76

Johnny Rivera vs. Jose Cadiz
SD Jones vs. Johnny Rodz
WWWF Tag Titles-2/3 Falls: The Executioners (Ch) vs. Dominic DeNucci & Jose Gonzales – Worth Watching
Kevin Sullivan vs. Bruiser Brody (w/ The Grand Wizard) – Worth Watching
Chief Jay Strongbow & Billy White Wolf vs. Baron Mikel Scicluna & Rocky Tomayo
WWWF Hvwt Title-Cage Match: Bruno Sammartino defends vs. Stan Hansen – Great
Bobo Brazil vs. Gashouse Gilbert
Ivan Putski vs. Skandor Akbar

MSG, 10/25/76

Manuel Soto vs. Johnny Rodz
Bobo Brazil vs. Gashouse Doug Gilbert
Jose Gonzales vs. Tor Kamata – Good
Special Referee Gorilla Monsoon: Ivan Putski vs. Stan Hansen – Standout
WWWF Hvwt Title-Bruno Sammartino (w/ Arnold Skaaland) defends vs. Nikolai Volkoff (w/ Lou Albano)
Victor Rivera vs. Baron Mikel Scicluna
3/5 Falls: Andre the Giant, Chief Jay Strongbow & Billy White Wolf vs. Bruiser Brody & The Executioners – Good

UP NEXT

We jump ahead to the summer of 1977, and a new Heavyweight Champion.

MISS AN ENTRY?

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WANT SOMETHING MORE CURRENT?

Check out the “Review the Kraken” series.

Mat Quest, Chapter 5: Spring 1976

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.

All Star Wrestling, 3/6/76

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.

All Star Wrestling, 3/20/76

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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Mat Quest, Chapter 4: February 1976

Mat Quest is a chronological viewing guide to the WWE archive on Peacock. Jump in and follow along with us!

The WWE archive currently is on Peacock and speculation persists as to whether rights to the library will shift elsewhere (my guess is Netflix) once the current deal with Peacock expires in 2026. And then will that leave us? Watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Homicide: LIfe on the Street on loop?

Wait… That wouldn’t be bad…

Anyway there is lots of wrestling still to watch. Let’s get to it…

Gorilla Monsoon vs. Ernie Ladd, 1/12/76 – Worth Watching

We begin this installment by jumping back to January for a battle of the big men that slipped between the cracks. WWE has snuck in some older matches on compilation shows on Peacock that are not available anywhere else on streaming. This is one of them and can be found as part of the Black History Collection that debuted in 2024. What ensues feels like more of an angle than a match and serves to establish Ladd as a formidable foe willing to bend and break every rule there is. Ladd gets plenty of mileage out of his dreaded taped thumb and wins by stoppage after Gorilla is turned into a bloody mess.

Gorilla Monsoon gets plenty of red on himself in this battle with Ernie Ladd from January 12, 1976, at Madison Square Garden.

Madison Square Garden, 2/2/76

Kevin Sullivan vs. Spiros Arion – Take It or Leave It

Arion went from challenging Bruno for most of 1975 to, a year later, facing the young upstart Sullivan in an otherwise unannounced match. Sullivan as a clean cut babyface is still jarring but not quite as jarring as busting out a monkey flip! The finish comes abruptly and just as the match appears to be hitting its next gear. Check it out if you want to see Sullivan working very against what he is known for in wrestling.

Dominic DeNucci vs. Ernie Ladd – Worth Watching

Wrestling is like all art forms, in that what is old eventually becomes new again. These Ladd bouts from the mid 1970s serve as a master class for current wrestlers who want to learn heel tactics. He has a tour de force of rulebreaking here: complaining to the referee about his lack of preparation time, then selling every strike from DeNucci in exaggerated anguish. Later he begs off, calls timeout, flashes a peace sign and extends a handshake to his opponent. After using that dreaded taped thumb to gain control, he caps off a masterful performance by blowing kisses to the fans as his hand gets raised.

Ivan Putski vs. Ivan Koloff – Worth Watching

As far as I have found, this is the only matchup between the two Ivans where the footage has survived here nearly 50 years later. Nothing to write home about in the action but the novelty is there and Putski is remarkably over with the Garden crowd.

WWWF Heavyweight Title-Bruno Sammartino defends vs. Superstar Billy Graham – Great

Lo and behold, the first truly great match yet in our chronological viewer guide has appeared. This is a rematch from a battle between these two from the prior month in the Garden. That bout is available elsewhere online and sees Graham score a controversial countout victory. I have watched that match and the intensity in this rematch is much higher, both between the wrestlers and among the crowd. Bruno and Superstar Graham have fantastic chemistry and it shows here. Bruno also gives Graham much more offense than the other challengers we have watched to date. Even when the champion bloodies Superstar and the match eventually is stopped, Graham is still ready and wants to keep fighting. The entire thing is a spectacle that leaves you wanting to see more.

2/3 Falls: Bobo Brazil & Tony Parisi vs. Crusher Blackwell & Bugsy McGraw – Take It or Leave It

Bobo was one of the first Black stars in pro wrestling. He fills in here with Parisi when the other half of the tag champs, Louis Cerdan, got held up due to travel issues. Bobo has about a quarter-century of experience in the ring by 1976 and the miles are showing in most of his matches I have seen. You might want to check this out for the novelty of the pairings, and the finish isn’t too shabby, either. However, if you are trying to watch quickly this one can easily be skipped. I leave the choice up to you.

All Star Wrestling, 2/28/76

Bobo Brazil vs. Hans Schroeder – Watch the Post-Match

Bobo is the WWWF U.S. Champ but the title is not on the line for this middling encounter. Things get interesting right after the bell as Captain Lou Albano jumps in from ringside and attacks Bobo in concert with Hans. Midcard heels come in from the locker room and also get involved. It all culminates when Bobo gets his hands on Albano and delivers his Cocoa Butt headbutt, which Captain Lou sells as if he has been electrocuted to the delight of the live audience

Vince McMahon interviews The Grand Wizard & Bugsy McGraw – Good

I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of this. The Wizard goes first and does a fine job building up his man. Bugsy gets a turn to talk and brings it home with some delightfully creepy observations about pain and pleasure. I think I prefer this incarnation of Bugsy to the silly babyface midcarder in World Class several years later.

Stan Hansen (w/ Freddie Blassie) vs. Johnny Rivera – Worth Watching

Hansen makes his debut for the company here and makes short work of Rivera. He needs less than two minutes — one minute and 47 seconds to be precise — to finish off his foe. This is where the build starts for Hansen to challenge Bruno Sammartino, which is a story I am eager to see unfold.

LINEUP & SUMMARY

Madison Square Garden, 2/2/76

Pete Sanchez vs. Frank Monte
Francisco Flores vs. Louis Cyr
Kevin Sullivan vs. Spiros Arion – Take it or Leave it
Dominic DeNucci vs. Ernie Ladd – Worth Watching
Ivan Putski vs. Ivan Koloff – Worth Watching
2/3 Falls: Little Louie & The Coco Kid vs. Billy the Kid & Little Johnny
WWWF Hvwt Title-Bruno Sammartino defends vs. Superstar Billy Graham – Great
Pat Barrett vs. Baron Mikel Scicluna
2/3 Falls: Bobo Brazil & Tony Parisi vs. Bugsy McGraw & Crusher Blackwell – Take it or Leave it

All Star Wrestling, 2/28/76

Non Title: Louis Cerdan & Tony Parisi (WWWF Tag Champs) vs. Baron Mikel Scicluna & Cowboy Bob
Non Title: Bobo Brazil (WWWF U.S. Champ) vs. Hans Schroeder – Watch the Post-Match
Vince McMahon interviews The Grand Wizard & Bugsy McGraw – Good
Stan Hansen (w/ Freddie Blassie) vs. Johnny Rivera – Worth Watching
Kevin Sullivan & Pat Barrett vs. Billy Coleman & Frank Monte
Dominic DeNucci vs. Louis Cyr

UP NEXT

We march ahead to, well, March of 1976, and more episodes of All Star Wrestling.

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Here is the full index of entries in the Mat Quest viewer guide.

Mat Quest, Chapter 3: All Star Wrestling (1975 and January 1976)

Mat Quest is a chronological viewing guide to the WWE archive on Peacock. Jump in and follow along with us!

Of that portion of the WWE archive available on Peacock, the earliest episodes of teleivision are not from Raw or even Superstars, but from All Star Wrestling, one of two regular weekly programs for the promotion — then known as the WWWF — alongside Championship Wrestling. Both shows began in 1972 and ended in 1986, when they were replaced by Superstars and Wrestling Challenge.

It will be a couple more years before Championship Wrestling episodes start appearing on Peacock, but the oldest All Star installment is from five decades ago — September 13, 1975, to be precise. Televised wrestling certainly has changed by leaps and bounds since then, as has the entire revenue model. Back then, you used the TV wrestling to entice people to buy tickets to the live events. Today, the TV itself is the cash cow, as evidenced by the massive media rights deals signed by both WWE and All Elite Wrestling.

It also should come as no surprise that these episodes of TV wrestling are structured and produced very differently. To that point, we take a look at three All Star episodes in this entry and, when judged by modern standards, they are a pretty rough watch. Now for the good news; this guide has filtered out all the drudgery and filler leaving you with a selection of what has value.

Not quite all killer, no filler, but a good start.

SEPTEMBER 13, 1975 Episode

VERY GOOD

Superstar Billy Graham interview

The eventual world champ makes one of his first TV appearances for the promotion here. He wrestles in the opener, a forgettable squash, but comes back later in the episode for this ringside interview that is not to be missed. After his manager, The Grand Wizard, speaks, Superstar Graham gets a turn and what follows encapsulates his character while also showing how to establish yourself in a new place in a relatively short amount of time. Graham really jumps off the page, both through his charismatic words and his look — bleached blond, tanned, well-muscled, and unlike anything else in the promotion at that time.

GOOD

Louis Cerdan & Tony Parisi (w/ Andre the Giant) vs. Bugsy McGraw & Waldo Von Erich (w/ Lou Albano & Freddie Blassie)

An interesting mix of heels here. Bugsy is massive compared to his size when he wrestles for World Class in the 1980s. Waldo and Fritz Von Erich were billed as brothers but any relation did not extend beyond the gimmick. Cerdan and Parisi dislike their odds with two managers in the opposing corner so they head to the locker room and bring out Andre to watch their backs. This does not dissuade either manager from interfering, and each time the interloper(s) get stalked and chased around by Andre. Eventually, things break down into a massive brawl in the ring involving all parties, as Andre finally gets his massive mitts on the two managers, to the delight of the live crowd. Albano and Blassie deserve as much credit as the wrestlers for their contributions to the highly entertaining chaos.

FRESH SQUASH

Non Title: The Blackjacks (WWWF Tag Champs) (w/ Lou Albano) vs. Buddy Porter & Buzz Sawyer

A new category to shout out those matches that excel at making one side look good at the total expense of the opposition. The Blackjacks, Mulligan and Lanza, just won the tag titles but they are a highlight for WWWF throughout the latter half of 1975 — you just cannot see much of it via the Peacock archive. There are some great little moments in this; at one point Albano is choking jobber Buddy Porter on the outside and a quick camera close-up shows Porter almost frothing at the mouth. By the way, this Sawyer is a different wrestler from Mad Dog Buzz Sawyer.

JANUARY 10, 1976 episode

WORTH WATCHING

Kevin Sullivan & Francisco Flores vs. Crusher Blackwell & Bugsy McGraw (w/ Freddie Blassie & The Grand Wizard)

This episode is pretty dull but the main event is a unique collection of wrestlers. We also see a very young Kevin Sullivan as, given his eventual legacy in wrestling, the most unlikely of bland lower-card babyfaces. Blackwell and Bugsy give Sullivan a significant portion of offense before momentum shifts. Overall, the action is decent although the finish is wonky.

TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT

Ernie Ladd promo and handicap match

This part of 1976 seems to be all about building up new strong challengers for Bruno Sammartino. Graham is one and The Big Cat is another. The former NFL star was known for his bombastic heel interviews. This one loses some of its steam and runs a bit long, but if you are not familiar with Ladd’s work, you might want to check it out. The Big Cat then wrestles a handicap match that is totally forgettable unless you want to see some of the most awkward ring exits I have ever seen from jobber Tito Torres.

JANUARY 17, 1976 episode

WORTH WATCHING

Pete Sanchez vs. Ernie Ladd

The featured bout on this episode is also the only thing that salvages it from being victim to getting skipped altogether. Ladd puts on a textbook example of being a heel. It starts from his entrance where he bullies the poor guy gathering his hat and vest. Ladd almost oversells for Sanchez early, but the live crowd loves it. And, as a proper heel should, Ladd uses his dreaded taped thumb to cheat and gain the advantage, before using more underhanded tactics to eventually win by countout.

TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT

Vince McMahon interviews Louis Cerdan & Tony Parisi

Cerdan and Parisi are the tag champs at this time and this segment is incredibly awkward. Today, you would never see a wrestler on the microphone left to stumble and bumble through an interview like this. Are we better off, or worse off, now? You watch and decide.

LINEUP & SUMMARY

All Star Wrestling, 9/13/75

Superstar Billy Graham (w/ The Grand Wizard) vs. Tom Stanton
Non Title: The Blackjacks (WWWF Tag Champs) (w/ Lou Albano) vs. Buddy Porter & Buzz Sawyer [Jobber] – FRESH SQUASH
Vince McMahon interviews The Grand Wizard & Superstar Billy Graham – VERY GOOD
Baron Mikel Scicluna vs. Manuel Miranda
Francisco Flores vs. Frank Monte
Louis Cerdan & Tony Parisi vs. Bugsy McGraw & Waldo Von Erich (w/ Lou Albano & Freddie Blassie) – GOOD

All Star Wrestling, 1/10/76

Non Title: Bobo Brazil (WWWF U.S. Champ) vs. Davey O’Hannon
Louis Cyr (w/ Freddie Blassie) vs. Pete McKay
Vince McMahon interviews Ernie Ladd ringside – TAKE OR LEAVE
Handicap: Ernie Ladd vs. Tito Torres & Sylvano Sousa
Non Title: Louis Cerdan & Tony Parisi (WWWF Champs) vs. Baron Mikel Scicluna & Vincente Pometti
Kevin Sullivan & Francisco Flores vs. Crusher Blackwell & Bugsy McGraw (w/ Freddie Blassie & The Grand Wizard) – WORTH WATCHING

All Star Wrestling, 1/17/76

Superstar Billy Graham (w/ The Grand Wizard) vs. Sylvano Sousa
Ivan Putski vs. Bugsy McGraw (w/ Lou Albano, The Grand Wizard & Ivan Koloff)
Vince McMahon interviews Louis Cerdan & Tony Parisi – TAKE OR LEAVE
Johnny Rivera vs. Louis Cyr (w/ Freddie Blassie)
Ivan Koloff (w/ Lou Albano) vs. Pete McKay
Pete Sanchez vs. Ernie Ladd – WORTH WATCHING

UP NEXT

We continue our journey through 1976 with another Madison Square Garden event and more All Star Wrestling.

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Here is the full index of entries in the Mat Quest viewer guide.

Mat Quest, Chapter 2: 1975, The Garden

Mat Quest is a chronological viewing guide to the WWE archive on Peacock. Jump in and follow along with us!

We started our journey with a Madison Square Garden card from 1973 and continue that journey, from the same venue, while jumping ahead to 1975.

So, what happened in the WWWF during the interim? The big news is that the world title has changed hands a couple of times. Pedro Morales. who held the title on that 1973 card, dropped it to Stan Stasiak, who quickly lost the belt to the returning Bruno Sammartino in December of that year.

And title defenses by Sammartino serve as the centerpiece, and the biggest highlight, of these two 1975 events from Madison Square Garden.

Let’s get to it…

MARCH 17, 1975

Very Good

Bruno Sammartino defends the WWWF Heavyweight Title against Spiros Arion in a Texas Death Match

Four matches from this card made the cut for Peacock and three of them range in watch quality from skippable to watching paint dry, although the last match features a bearded, barrel-chested Ivan Putski that is quite the contrast from the chiseled bodybuilder look he sported for this same promotion in the 1980s. And he chugs a beer in the ring after his match, so there’s that.

Ivan Putski chugs a beer after beating The Wolfman at Madison Square Garden.

The highlight of this March 17 card is the battle between Sammartino and Arion for the title. These two met the prior month (sadly not available on Peacock) and most of the match played out as a sportsmanlike affair until Arion started bending the rules late when he could not fairly get the better of Sammartino. Eventually Bruno snaps, unloading on Arion in fury and eventually getting disqualified.

So, they ran it back for this Texas Death Match, often used as a blowoff match for Sammartino and his challenger du jour. No standing 10 count here… the WWWF Texas Death Match just means that anything goes. The crowd is fully invested and lives in dies with each punch and kick thrown by the champion. Sammartino scores the pin, but Arion gets a foot in the ropes and the referee does not see it. That sets the stage for another match between these two next month.

APRIL 14, 1975

Borderline Great

Bruno Sammartino defends the WWWF Heavyweight Title against Spiros Arion in a Greek Death Match

The aforementioned rematch… this time the only way to win is by submission. Where the match between these two in March was more even, this one sees Sammartino dominate. Modern wrestling fans have come to expect, even in the most heated grudge match, for the flow of the match to go back and forth. Sometimes, though, you just want to see the bad guy get clobbered and that is what the Garden crowd got here. Bruno gets 75-80% of the match before submitting Arion after he whiffs on a knee drop off the top rope. The atmosphere and the tremendous fire that Bruno shows are both top notch.

Good

Edouard Carpentier vs. Joe Nova

Carpentier is quite the story — fighting for the Resistance in France during World War II before embarking on a career in the squared circle. He is a spry 48 years old here and uses his gymnast background to use Nova as his own personal pommel horse. His style would fit right in modern wrestling, and serves as a reminder for the current curmudgeons who decry “flippy shit” as ruining their beloved business.

Victor Rivera vs. Bobby Duncum

You might remember Bobby’s son, the late Bobby Duncum, Jr., from the West Texas Rednecks in WCW. These two put on their working shoes for this one and turn in a high-energy battle, especially by the often-plodding standards of mid-1970s WWWF.

Worth Watching

El Olympico vs. Greg Valentine

This is the Madison Square Garden debut for Valentine, who is 23 years old and looks about the same that he does for the next 10 or 15 years.

LINEUP & SUMMARY

March 17, 1975 (Madison Square Garden)

Chief Jay Strongbow vs. Butcher Vachon
WWWF World Title-Texas Death Match: Bruno Sammartino defends vs. Spiros Arion – VERY GOOD
Victor Rivera vs. Killer Kowalski
Ivan Putski vs. The Wolfman

April 14, 1975 (Madison Square Garden)

Mike Paidousis vs. Tony Altimore
El Olympico vs. Greg Valentine – WORTH WATCHING
Non Title, 2/3 Falls: Little Boy Louie & Sonny Boy Hayes vs. Little Tokyo & Lord Littlebrook
WWWF World Title-Greek Death Match: Bruno Sammartino defends vs. Spiros Arion – BORDERLINE GREAT
Edouard Carpentier vs. Joe Nova – GOOD
Victor Rivera vs. Bobby Duncum – GOOD

UP NEXT

We wrap up 1975 and dive into 1976 with a few episodes of All Star Wrestling.

Mat Quest: An Introduction

If you use any type of streaming service, this has probably happened to you.

You are in the middle of watching a series – or worse, a movie – when it suddenly disappears.

With the convenience of streaming comes the peril of media rights. Your favorite show may become inaccessible when those rights expire. And, as Raw moves to Netflix, speculation has run rampant about what will happen to the WWE library when the promotion’s current deal with Peacock expires in the spring of 2026.

Internationally, Netflix already has the rights to Raw and the archive. We already have seen the archive of NXT drop into the void, after the CW began broadcasting new episodes, and chose not to upload any of the substantial NXT archive, to which they also have the rights, to their app.

So what happens in 2026? If the WWE archive rights go to some new entity, I have zero confidence the published library survives in full – in large part because when Peacock bought the rights, not everything from the WWE Network made the migration (Get it? Migrate? Because birds!).

As someone who follows wrestling and studied history, it’s probably not a surprise I like watching older wrestling – partly to check out stuff I haven’t seen, and partly because it reminds me of when I first started watching as a kid in the 1980s. I also know how WWE likes shaping, or reshaping, what is accepted as wrestling history, using its influence as the biggest promotion on the planet for the past several decades. Given that approach, though, I think that makes it less likely that all the currently available non-WWE content survives any move from Peacock to another platform. I’m talking about WCW, ECW, and especially the older stuff from the territories: Mid-South, World Class, AWA, etc.

But if you’re looking at the older wrestling on Peacock, maybe you don’t know where to start.

That’s where, hopefully, this series of articles serves a purpose. Mat Quest aims to provide a viewing guide to the wrestling on Peacock, starting from the oldest footage on the platform.

How will it work?

Basically, I am going through every event and show currently on Peacock, starting from the beginning – or, in this case, 1973. I will let you know what I consider to be worth watching. If I think it’s skippable, it probably won’t be mentioned. Or maybe I will mention something in passing if you are looking to take a deep dive into a particular wrestler or style or title. I want to focus on the non-McMahon promotions, but I am folding in older content from WWE (or, as it was known in the 70s, WWWF) as well. For the record, we are defining older for now as essentially anything that aired prior to the debut of Raw.

A daunting task? Absolutely. Luckily I have a little over a year to get through it.

A couple of things to remember…

First, these recommendations are based solely off of my opinion. One of the great things about wrestling is that, I believe, there is something out there for everyone.

Second, these articles are meant to be informational. I definitely will go on a rant or a tangent from time to time, but this series will not be the place for in-depth match reviews or lengthy think pieces on how a certain match or segment contributed to the greater wrestling zeitgeist. You probably will find pieces like that on this site at some point, just not here.

Maybe you are a newer wrestling fan who is interested in the older stuff but was unsure where to start. Maybe you want to make sure you check out the good stuff from the archive before it possibly disappears, moves or evolves into its own paid service. Or maybe you are just burnt out on the current wrestling product and are looking for something different to watch.

No matter the reason, I hope you check out this guide, and find it informative and helpful.

For what is available on Peacock, the uploads really do not get going until the mid 1970s – 1976, to be precise. There are a handful of shows from 1975 and one from 1973: a complete card from Madison Square Garden that aired on HBO. And so that is where the journey begins.

Mat Quest: 1973

Mat Quest is a chronological viewing guide to the WWE archive on Peacock. Jump in and follow along with us!

Welcome! We begin this journey with a historic event. None of the matches or results from this Madison Square Garden card were earth-shattering, but this event stands out because it was the first time the WWWF had one of its events broadcast live on national television. In this instance, HBO aired the broadcast.

As we begin the viewing guide, it is important to note that I am trying to break down the matches into certain tiers, everything ranging from all-time great to matches that are flawed but fun, or worth watching for some historic value or as a plot point. I may also point to certain matches and interviews where I think current wrestlers might want to take a look, to see what they could learn and use today.

Here we go…

JUNE 30, 1973 (Madison Square Garden)

Very Good

Pedro Morales defends the WWWF Heavyweight Title against George “The Animal” Steele

The best match on the card also has the biggest stakes. For someone who grew up on the Hulkamania Era like me, this is a fascinating look at George Steele, who is incredibly spry and far afield from the beloved turnbuckle-chewing fan favorite. Steele does some sleight of hand with a foreign object and the match becomes a fun brawl, fueled by a crowd that is going wild.

Good

El Olympico vs. Toru Tanaka (w/ The Grand Wizard)

I think that what people — and by people, I guess I mean wrestling fans who are online — define as a good match, or even a great match, has changed. The first thing I ask myself about every match is, did it hold my interest? And this one does. This is a few minutes of harmless fun with an abrupt ending thanks to one extremely effective strike from The Professor.

Worth Watching

Chief Jay Strongbow vs. Mr. Fuji

If Seinfeld was a show about nothing, this is a match about nothing. Fuji and Strongbow go about 15 minutes, and I estimate a good 80-90% of what happens bell to bell is schtick. Fuji spends what feels like a good five minutes applying a Double Pectoral Claw to Strongbow. And that crowd I mentioned earlier? They are watching Fuji grab the tits of this faux-Native-American-but-actually-an-Italian and loving every second of it. Be sure to catch the culturally insensitive war whoops from the crowd each time Strongbow teases powering out of the hold. I remain torn on whether this match is terrible because of the giant dollop of nothingness that it is, or brilliant because it captivates the crowd despite its nothingness. If nothing else, it is an excellent example of how easy it was to entertain wrestling crowds in the Northeast in the mid-1970s. Watch and judge for yourself…

Haystacks Calhoun vs. Moondog Mayne

This is pretty passable if not for the performance of Mayne, who hurls himself around the ring with reckless abandon to make Haystacks look like a powerhouse. Mayne, who died far too young in a car crash in 1978, would have fit right in in ECW. He never met a bloody brawl he did not like and even chewed glass during promo interviews. There are some great matches of his with Buddy Rose in the Portland territory that you can find on YouTube.

Take it or leave it

Gorilla Monsoon vs. Captain Lou Albano

In the Hulkamania days, these two saw plenty of screen time as a commentator and manager, respectively. This is a rare look at both in the ring, and that rarity is really the only thing that makes it watchable.

LINEUP & SUMMARY

June 30, 1973, Madison Square Garden

Lee Wong vs. Blackjack Lanza
El Olympico vs. Toru Tanaka (w/ The Grand Wizard) – GOOD
Gorilla Monsoon vs. Lou Albano – TAKE OR LEAVE
Victor Rivera vs. Black Gordman
2/3 Falls: Jan Sheridan & Joyce Grable vs. Dotti Downs & Peggy Patterson
WWWF World Title-Pedro Morales defends vs. George Steele – VERY GOOD
Chief Jay Strongbow vs. Mr. Fuji – WORTH WATCHING
Haystacks Calhoun vs. Moondog Mayne – WORTH WATCHING

UP NEXT

We jump ahead to 1975, and another card from Madison Square Garden.