I have been thinking about this forever. I have been thinking about "remastering" the WWF set. With the tons of 24/7 out there, the handhelds, commercial releases, etc., I want to remaster this set. I have it broken down where I honor the first 50 matches. After that, I plan to include matches that will be on the errata set and maybe some other gems I find along the way or personal favorites. I want to give you guys a chance to chime in.

 

The following are the Bottom 50. Are there any matches you think deserve a 2nd look?

 

 

51-75:

4/8/80 Bob Backlund vs. Hulk Hogan (Spectrum)

4/21/80 Ken Patera vs. Pat Patterson (MSG)

4/21/80 Bruno Sammartino vs. Larry Zbyszko (MSG)

10/20/80 Ken Patera vs. Pedro Morales (MSG)

6/6/81 Bob Backlund vs. Stan Hansen (MSG)

6/4/83 Bob Backlund vs. Ivan Koloff (Philadelphia, PA)

5/5/84 Hulk Hogan vs. Iron Sheik (Philadelphia, PA)

6/2/84 Sgt. Slaughter vs. Paul Orndorff (Philadelphia, PA)

9/1/84 Tito Santana vs. Paul Orndorff (St. Louis)

12/1/84 Bob Orton Jr. vs. Mike Rotundo (Philadelphia)

3/2/85 Les Thornton vs. Mr. Wrestling II (Atlanta, GA)

1/27/86 Hulk Hogan vs. Randy Savage (MSG)

2/17/86 Hulk Hogan vs. Randy Savage (MSG)

8/9/86 Tito Santana vs. Bob Orton Jr. (Boston, MA)

8/28/86 Ricky Steamboat vs. Jake Roberts (Toronto Big Event)

12/14/86 Hulk Hogan vs. Paul Orndorff (Hartford, CT aired 1/3/87 SNME)

5/12/87 Tito Santana vs. Butch Reed (Anaheim)

8/22/87 Honky Tonk Man vs. Ricky Steamboat (MSG)

11/26/87 Team Team survivors Match (Survivor Series)

4/25/88 Bret Hart vs. Bad News Brown (MSG)

12/30/88 Tim Horner vs. Barry Horowitz (MSG)

2/11/89 Rick Rude vs. Tito Santana (Boston, MA)

2/16/89 Hulk Hogan vs. Bad News Brown (Hersey, PA aired 3/11/89 SNME)

4/2/89 Randy Savage vs. Hulk Hogan (Wrestlemania)

5/17/89 Hart Foundation vs. Twin Towers (Duluth, MN)

 

Bottom 25

4/8/80 Bruno Sammartino vs. Larry Zbyszko (Philadelphia, PA)

12/29/80 Ken Patera vs. Pat Patterson (MSG)

6/20/81 Sgt. Slaughter vs. Rick McGraw (Philadelphia)

11/14/81 Andre the Giant vs. Killer Khan (Philadelphia)

11/23/81 Don Muraco vs. Pedro Morales (MSG)

9/18/82 Johnny Rodz/Jose Estrada vs. Tony Garea/Steve Travis (Philadelphia, PA)

11/25/82 Johnny Rodz vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi (Philadelphia, PA)

8/16/83 Don Muraco vs. Jimmy Snuka (Philadelphia, PA)

1/21/84 Iron Sheik vs. Tito Santana (Philadelphia, PA)

6/15/84 Adrian Adonis/Dick Murdoch vs. Mil Mascaras/S.D. Jones (St. Louis, MO aired TNT 6/26/84)

6/17/84 Hulk Hogan vs. David Shultz (Minneapolis)

7/7/84 Hulk Hogan vs. Paul Orndorff (Philadelphia, PA)

7/20/84 Jimmy Snuka vs. Roddy Piper (St. Louis, MO)

1/12/85 Roddy Piper/Bob Orton Jr. vs. Jimmy Snuka/Tony Atlas (Philadelphia, PA)

5/20/85 Hulk Hogan vs. Don Muraco (MSG)

6/21/85 Hulk Hogan vs. Don Muraco (MSG)

8/17/85 Ricky Steamboat/Junkyard Dog vs. Don Muraco/Mr. Fuji (Landover, MD)

10/3/85 Hulk Hogan vs. Nikolai Volkoff (East Rutherford, NJ aired SNME 10/5/85)

10/26/85 Bruno Sammartino/Paul Orndorff vs. Roddy Piper/Bob Orton Jr. (Philadelphia, PA)

3/16/86 Randy Savage vs. Tito Santana (MSG)

5/12/87 Hulk Hogan vs. Bob Orton Jr. (Anaheim)

9/16/87 Ted DiBiase vs. Jacques Rougeau (Rockford)

3/12/88 Hulk Hogan vs. Ted DiBiase (Philadelphia, PA)

11/6/88 Brainbusters vs. Young Stallions (Toronto)

1/16/89 Randy Savage vs. Bad News Brown (Hamilton)

 

 

 

These are the Top 50:

01/10/81 Bob Backlund vs. Sgt. Slaughter (Spectrum)

03/21/81 Bob Backlund vs. Sgt. Slaughter (Spectrum)

05/04/81 Pat Patterson vs. Sgt. Slaughter (MSG)

 

01/18/82 Bob Backlund vs. Adrian Adonis (MSG)

03/20/82 Bob Backlund vs. Adrian Adonis (Philadelphia, PA)

03/28/82 Bob Backlund vs. Adrian Adonis (Landover, MD)

11/25/82 Bob Backlund vs. Buddy Rose (Spectrum)

 

05/19/84 Sgt. Slaughter vs. Iron Sheik (Landover, MD)

05/21/84 Sgt. Slaughter vs. Iron Sheik (MSG)

06/16/84 Sgt. Slaughter vs. The Iron Sheik (MSG)

07/07/84 Adrian Adonis/Dick Murdoch vs. Bob Backlund/Brian Blair (Philadelphia, PA)

07/23/84 Adrian Adonis & Dick Murdoch vs. Sgt. Slaughter & Terry Daniels (MSG)

12/28/84 Adrian Adonis/Dick Murdoch vs. The Brisco Brothers (MSG)

 

02/16/85 Barry Windham vs. Dick Murdoch (Philadelphia, PA)

04/21/85 Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake vs. Ricky Steamboat & Tito Santana (Toronto)

06/21/85 Greg Valentine vs. Ricky Steamboat (MSG)

07/20/85 Ricky Steamboat vs. Bob Orton Jr. (Landover)

09/14/85 Dynamite Kid vs. Bret Hart (Landover)

09/23/85 British Bulldogs vs. Hart Foundation (MSG)

 

03/08/86 Ricky Steamboat vs. Bret Hart (Boston)

04/07/86 Dream Team vs. British Bulldogs (Wrestlemania II)

04/22/86 Randy Savage vs. Tito Santana (MSG)

07/12/86 Randy Savage/Adrian Adonis vs. Tito Santana/Bruno Sammartino (MSG)

07/27/86 Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat (Toronto, Ontario)

08/09/86 Ricky Steamboat vs. Jake Roberts (Boston, MA)

09/22/86 Rougeau Bros. vs. Hart Foundation (MSG)

11/01/86 British Bulldogs vs. Hart Foundation (Boston, MA)

11/15/86 Randy Savage vs. Jake Roberts (SNME: Los Angeles)

 

02/23/87 Hart Foundation vs. Killer Bees (MSG)

03/29/87 Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage (Wrestlemania III)

08/22/87 Tito Santana vs. Ron Bass (MSG)

10/03/87 Strike Force vs. Islanders (Boston, MA)

11/11/87 Bret Hart vs. Randy Savage (Seattle)

11/24/87 Glamour Girls vs. Jumping Bomb Angels (MSG)

 

07/22/88 Randy Savage vs. Ted DiBiase (MSG)

08/13/88 Blue Angel vs. Barry Horowitz (Los Angeles)

11/24/88 Tag Team Survivors Match (Survivor Series)

 

03/08/89 Bret Hart vs. Ted DiBiase (Odessa)

03/18/89 Mr. Perfect vs. Ron Garvin (Boston, MA)

03/18/89 Hulk Hogan vs. Big Bossman (MSG)

04/24/89 Jake Roberts vs. Ted DiBiase (MSG)

08/28/89 Brainbusters vs. Hart Foundation (SummerSlam)

08/28/89 Ultimate Warrior vs. Rick Rude (Summerslam)

09/30/89 Greg Valentine vs. Ron Garvin (MSG)

10/02/89 Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect (Wheeling, WV)

10/10/89 Fabulous Rougeau Bros. vs. Rockers (London, England)

10/13/89 Rockers vs. Rougeau Bros. (Paris) 10/31/89 Rockers vs. Brainbusters (11/25/89 SNME)

12/12/89 Mr. Perfect vs. Ronnie Garvin (Nashville, TN)

12/28/89 Rick Rude vs. Roddy Piper (MSG)

 

 

 

These are jdw suggested matches. Some of them I agree with 100%. Others I have to watch for myself. Off the top of my head, I don't think the SUperstar match goes on but I'll have to check.

1/21/80 Bob Backlund vs. Ken Patera (MSG)

5/19/80 Bob Backlund vs. Ken Patera (MSG)

10/11/80 Bob Backlund vs. Larry Zbyszko (Spectrum)

10/20/80 Bob Backlund vs. Sgt. Slaughter (MSG)

11/8/80 Ken Patera vs. Bruno Sammartino (Spectrum)

2/16/81 Bob Backlund vs. Stan Hansen (MSG)

9/21/81 Bob Backlund vs. Don Muraco (MSG)

6/28/82 Bob Backlund vs. Jimmy Snuka

8/30/82 Bob Backlund vs. Buddy Rose (MSG)

10/17/81 Bob Backlund vs. Don Muraco (Spectrum)

11/23/81 Bob Backlund vs. Greg Valentine (MSG)

5/22/82 Bob Backlund vs. Bob Orton (Spectrum)

10/17/83 Bob Backlund vs. Masked Superstar

4/23/84 Bob Backlund vs. Greg Valentine (MSG)

 

 

 

My suggestions

Chavo Guerrero vs. Tatsumi Fujinami (Shea 8/9/80) (NJC 90)

Tiger Mask vs. Dynamite Kid (WWF Junior Title) (8/30/82) (NJC 130)

Piper vs. Orndorff

6 man elimination tag

 

Loss suggestion

10-man elimination tag from Philly

My opinion on what deserves another look, that I liked, from the provided lists:

 

51-75:

6/4/83 Bob Backlund vs. Ivan Koloff (Philadelphia, PA)

12/1/84 Bob Orton Jr. vs. Mike Rotundo (Philadelphia)

8/22/87 Honky Tonk Man vs. Ricky Steamboat (MSG)

 

Bottom 25

6/20/81 Sgt. Slaughter vs. Rick McGraw (Philadelphia)

 

 

jdw suggested

5/19/80 Bob Backlund vs. Ken Patera (MSG)

10/20/80 Bob Backlund vs. Sgt. Slaughter (MSG)

6/28/82 Bob Backlund vs. Jimmy Snuka

8/30/82 Bob Backlund vs. Buddy Rose (MSG)

11/23/81 Bob Backlund vs. Greg Valentine (MSG)

5/22/82 Bob Backlund vs. Bob Orton (Spectrum)

 

 

Suggested to check out and possibly add from me personally. The dates are a bit vague and I apologize for that (working off of memory here):

 

-Tito Santana vs. Bob Orton, MSG (early 1984. Went to a 20-minute draw IIRC. I enjoyed this bout more than any of the other Santana-Orton bouts talked about or included in these discussions.

 

-Rick Martel vs. Tama (MSG, 1987)

 

-Bob Backlund vs. Greg Valentine (MSG 10/81. The match that set up the "vacant title" rematch on 11/23 that is mentioned by jdw. A lot of people think the ending is goofy but I really think it works as a way to hold up the title. Good bout to boot).

 

-Tito Santana vs. Adrian Adonis (Summer 1984, St. Louis). I picked up the last 15 minutes of this 30-minute draw by accident from Charles Warburton as it was on one of his AWA/Central States/WWF tapes which I picked up for the AWA TV eps. Two of my favourite workers ever and this bout does not disappoint. If anyone knows of a full version of this (not sure it even aired full), I'd love to know about it/pick it up.

 

-Orton vs. Santana (Detroit 4/26/86).

 

-Rodz vs. Rivera (Philly 2/19/83--for some reason I remember this being fun).

 

Hope this helps a bit.

The Valentine v. Davey Boy Smith match from the October 86 MSG show currently up on 24/7 is a ton of fun

MSG Classics is about to start back up again so there may be more matches unearthed.

The following are the Bottom 50. Are there any matches you think deserve a 2nd look?

I really liked:

4/8/80 Bob Backlund vs. Hulk Hogan (Spectrum) and

4/8/80 Bruno Sammartino vs. Larry Zbyszko (Philadelphia, PA)

4/21/80 Bruno Sammartino vs. Larry Zbyszko (MSG)

I think all three ended up in my top 25.

 

Jdw has said good things about the Tito v Rude match.

 

These are the Top 50:

I thought these matches were pretty ass:

07/07/84 Adrian Adonis/Dick Murdoch vs. Bob Backlund/Brian Blair (Philadelphia, PA)

07/23/84 Adrian Adonis & Dick Murdoch vs. Sgt. Slaughter & Terry Daniels (MSG)

04/21/85 Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake vs. Ricky Steamboat & Tito Santana (Toronto)

04/07/86 Dream Team vs. British Bulldogs (Wrestlemania II)

11/24/88 Tag Team Survivors Match (Survivor Series)

03/18/89 Mr. Perfect vs. Ron Garvin (Boston, MA)

12/12/89 Mr. Perfect vs. Ronnie Garvin (Nashville, TN)

My sense from the 24/7 I have watched is more than a WWF set there are a bunch of guys who worked meaningless undercard to midcard workrate matches who I'd like to see sets for: I'd love to see an Islanders set, a Koko in WWF set, and more than anything else a MOONDOGS~! in WWF set (guys who I rmembered as being nothing but dull brawling and bone shots in WWF but who I look forward to seeing everytime they show up in 24/7).

Dean is talking up a Garvin v. Valentine from 1988 which aired on MSG classics, he is on the phone with me right now talking about how Valentines chest is bleeding

Jake vs. Dibiase No DQ on 12/28/88 was a good bout with a strong body of work. We get a clean finish, but it wasn't built to well. With that said I feel this should be on the errata set.

Terry Funk v. Hulk Hogan from 12/15/85 is as good as 90% of the Hogan matches on the original set. Funk is doing all of his crazy bumping and stooging, and Hogan's offense looked pretty good, with some nice jabs, a back suplex and a great looking jumping elbow drop. Bulldogs v. Dream Team from the same match is the best I have seen from those two teams too, Bulldogs aren't my favorite, but then break out some huge spots