WWWF All-Star Wrestling Review 09-23-78

Can it be true? No Luke Graham… AGAIN?

WWWF ALL-STAR WRESTLING 09-23-78

All-Star Wrestling is taped from the Fieldhouse in Hamburg, Pennsylvania.
Taping date is September 20, 1978.  Your announcer is Vince McMahon

MATCH #1: LARRY ZBYSZKO VS. STAN “THE MAN” STASIAK

Referee is Dick Woehrle. The mustache man Zbyszko works a hammerlock early. Stan talks through the entire segment of the match. Stasiak smiles throughout the hold, and Larry appears to be fighting back a smile as well. Even Vince mentions how Stan doesn’t appear to be in pain. Doesn’t appear either man is taking this match too seriously, TV or not. After a brief stay on the floor, Stasiak returns to the ring and takes over by countering a top wrist lock with a series of taped fist shots to Larry’s head. Stan the Man goes to work on Zbyszko’s arm for several minutes. Larry kicks himself free of a hammerlock, but Stan is right back on top with his amazing arsenal of punches and stomps. Ya know, when they say New York is a “kick and punch” territory, they weren’t kidding.

Larry finally has enough, the two men begin to trade punches. Larry wins out and biels Stasiak to the mat. Not it’s Larry’s turn to stomp on Stasiak. Larry drives knees into the back of Stan until Stasiak goes to the floor to regroup. When Stan returns he takes another big biel from Larry Z. Zbyszko hits a big scoop slam for a 2 count. Zbyszko comes off the ropes with a sunset flip, but the bell sounds as time expires.

The result is a 10:00 time limit draw

Notes: This match ranged from stale to just weird. In the early going Larry appeared to be holding back a smile, Stasiak spent much of the first few minutes smiling and having conversation with Zbyszko. Larry was so loose with the hammerlock it looked as if Stan’s arm was just going to fall out. Then we got a long period of rest holds by “The Man” before going into the finish. And didn’t we JUST see this match a couple of episodes ago??? Blah.

MATCH #2: CRUSHER BLACKWELL (w/THE GRAND WIZARD) VS. FRANKIE WILLIAMS

Referee is Wee Willie Webber. Blackwell gently escorts the Wizard from the ring by picking him up in his arms and setting him down on the apron. Crusher hammers Frankie all around the ring and then goes to work on Williams’ arm. Lots of arm locks and legdrops to Frankie’s arm. Blackwell toys with Williams as he tosses him to the floor. Back inside, Crusher with a giant elbow drop but yanks him up at the 2 count. BIG KNEE DROP from Blackwell. He picks Frankie up at 2 once again. Nice legdrop on Williams as some fans begin to chant “We Want Dino”. Running powerslam ends this in 5:31.

Following the match the referees place Frankie Williams on a stretcher and carry him off.

Winner is Da Crusher

Notes: Blackwell has had more entertaining squashes than this, but he continues to be impressive nevertheless. The stretcher job was a nice addition. Solid squash.

RINGSIDE INTERVIEW WITH THE GRAND WIZARD & CRUSHER BLACKWELL

Vince McMahon is cut off by Blackwell right away. Crusher says he’s the greatest and everyone’s afraid to rassle him because they’ll go to the hospital. Not only is Blackwell the biggest, strongest, fastest, but he’s the “Pertiest”. If he got a hold of Dusty Rhodes we’d call him a Dirty Road, because there would be nothing left. lol.

Blackwell is sick of being handed bums to wrestle, he’s going to start sending people to the hospital until he gets some real competition. When Vince isn’t impressed with the comments, Blackwell offers to “do” McMahon “right here on the floor”. I bet Wizard got excited until he figured out Blackwell wasn’t referring to sex.

Crusher shows off his 22 inch arm. He says there’s no way Backlund can perform his atomic drop on him. Blackwell is beautiful, and he can out-rassle Backlund.

Grand Wizard finally speaks. He talks about how modest Blackwell is for holding back how great he is. This was a fun little segment. Further proof that scripted promos ruin half the fun of a character.

MATCH #3: COCONUT WILLIE VS. LITTLE TOKYO

I’ve not seen much of Coconut, but I’ve seen Tokyo a shit ton. I still say they dropped the ball on not letting Tokyo act as Mr. Fuji’s servant when they wore matching tuxedos on TNT. Tokyo tries to gain control but he hurts his hand when he hits the head of coconut. DUH. Willie gains control until Tokyo gives him a headbutt to the gut. Big little backdrop by Tokyo. Willie fights back, wiggling his hips and landing a pair of jumping headbutts. He must have gotten a whole foot off the ground with those!

Willie lands a nice dropkick, but misses on a second attempt. Tokyo capitalizes with a big little elbow drop and that’s all she wrote in 4:15.

Winner is Little Tokyo

Notes: A no nonsense competitive match, all be it short. Not a lot of midget comedy here, more of a wrestling match. Lacked crowd response but it was fine for what it was.

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

Koloff goes right after Cagle and grounds him into the mat. Terrible backdrop taken by Cagle, he sort of rolled to the side. Koloff makes him pay as he lays him across the middle rope and pounds the hell out of him. Albano gets in a sucker punch as well. Ivan with a backbreaker but pulls Cagle up at 2. Koloff refers to Cagle as “Backlund” as he continues to work him over. A pair of slams and a bear hug ends the match quickly in only 2:57.

Following the match, Albano distracts Willie Webber to allow Koloff to come off the ropes with a kneedrop on Cagle for good measure. Albano continues to refer to Cagle as “Backlund”.

Winner is the Russian Bear

Notes: Quick match. Cagle isn’t the best bumper. This wasn’t one of the better Koloff squashes. I’ll pass.

MATCH #5: SPIROS ARION & BARON MIKEL SCICLUNA VS. SPECIAL DELIVERY JONES & JIMMY RAY

Referee is Al Bass. The Baron will start with Jim Ray. Scicluna keeps Ray on the mat for a minute before he’s able to tag in SD Jones. Arion tags in as well. SD misses a quick jab and Arion grabs the tights to yank SD to the mat. The Baron tags in and stomps the hand of SD while Arion holds it down. Jim Ray comes in to help and is immediately beaten like a bruised turd. Baron places Jones in an armbar but SD headbutts his way out. Scicluna manages to maintain control, and this brings Jimmy Ray in to attack Scicluna for no reason whatsoever. The heels double team Jones in their corner. Arion grabs a hammerlock.

SD finally breaks free with a headbutt to Spiros. Tag to Jim Ray who comes in and lands two kicks, which Arion doesn’t sell, before Baron grabs Ray from behind. Arion whips Ray into a booth to the stomach from the Baron, and Spiros finishes Ray off in short fashion with a backbreaker in 4:49.

Winners are Arion & Scicluna

Notes: These guys managed to go 5 minutes and do almost nothing. SD joins Larry Zbyszko in guys who have learned not to tag with Jimmy Ray. It’s short crap, but it’s still crap.

Closing Thoughts: I thought the midget match this week would be a breath of fresh air, something different. I enjoyed the ladies match a few shows back and thought this would deliver something different as well. Unfortunately, it was short and bland. The rest of the matches ranged from subpar squashes to a time limit draw that was hard to sit through. Not a good week. I must look at the silver lining… Imagine how much worse this would have been had Luke Graham been involved.