Just gonna take a few shots and start this shit

[Chris]

Right now I'm planning on reviewing the PWI and WON MOTYs but I'll probably just review a lot of random shit in here too and might disappear for a few months at a time but I'll at least be the 2nd most consistent reviewer on the site it seems. The Observer doesn't start doing awards until 1980 so I'm gonna just be doing the PWI awards at first but a lot of them are hard as fuck to find and I think some of them don't even exist anymore.

1972 - Battle Royal in Los Angeles: 22-Man Battle Royal: Black Gordman vs Brother Joseph vs Bruno Sammartino vs Dory Dixon vs Dutch Savage vs Earl Maynard vs Francisco Flores vs Frankie Laine vs Great Goliath vs Haystacks Calhoun vs Jack Armstrong vs John Tolos vs King Krow vs Kinji Shibuya vs Masa Saito vs Mil Mascaras vs Pantera Negra vs Raul Mata vs Ripper Collins vs Rocky Johnson vs Salvador Lothario vs Tony Rocco
Okay so I can't find this shit anywhere at all, like it's a miracle I found a participant list and I wish I hadn't because I didn't expect to know this many people in a battle royal from 1972 but this shit looks STACKED! Very disappointed I don't get to see someone throw Haystacks over the top rope, but anyway Bruno wins this and this is the only sort of battle royal that wins match of the year I'm pretty sure.

1973 - May 4: NWA World Heavyweight Championship: Dory Funk Jr. (c) vs Harley Race
I couldn't find the full match for this one either but I did find a 1:39 clip so FUCK IT I'll review it. We start god knows how long into the match because they look tired af and Funk hits a nice double underhook suplex, but Race gets his foot on the ropes to break it up. It skips forward and Funk has a headlock on Race which he breaks with a back suplex then misses the GOAT Harley Race headbutt and they both sell like they are absolutely dead. We skip forward again and Funk starts arguing with the ref after a two count and Race hits a fucking suplex for the win The crowd goes absolutely crazy for a few seconds but the video cuts out lol that could have been a good match who knows, those clips looked nice.

1974 - AJPW New Year NWA Champion Series - Day 5: NWA World Heavyweight Championship: Jack Brisco (c) vs Dory Funk Jr.
This is a really good technical showcase for sure. It's slow af with a lot of rest holds, but everything is so technically perfect and every now and then they have short bursts of action that are amazing. This progressively gets more violent, like there aren't many strikes for the first 20 minutes then they each start throwing a few and after awhile they just go off until the ref warns them. At one point Funk yells "Ask him ref!" Okay so apparently this is fucking two out of three falls because about 39 minutes in Dory Funk scores a pinfall off of a double underhook suplex after a nice sequence and then it goes to the next fall Brisco comes out fucking HEATED for the second fall, this one is way faster paced and way more violent while still having a lot of good reversals and technical work. The ring announcer says something about a time limit but it's in Japanese along with the commentary so I don't know shit, this is gonna go to a time limit draw isn't it Anyways this second fall is legit pretty good and they even shake hands again after a great pinning combination exchange the wholesomeness I think Jumbo Tsuruta comes out for some reason, no idea who's side he's on because once again don't speak Japanese. These strikes are getting downright brutal at this point neither these man remember what a rest hold is now. Funk ends up hitting a brutal fuckin Piledriver that Brisco sells like his neck is broken but then he gets his foot on the ropes This fall ends with Brisco hitting a NICE dropkick and then locking in the Figure-4 Leglock that I can tell these announcers have been hyping up all match, but WAIT Funk starts to roll over only for BRISCO TO USE THE ROPES THAT FUCKING CHEATER! Funk ends up giving up at that point. The third fall starts out fast af and they take a nasty bump over the top rope. This fall is just brutal strikes, 1970s generic power moves, and both guys trying to lock in their submission and it's FUCKING AMAZING! They do the rolling across the ring in a small package spot which the crowd laughs at probably not what they were going for. Funk ends up locking in the Spinning Toe Hold, which lowkey is kinda ridiculous, but he looks like he's about to win when the time runs out so Brisco retains the title. Yeah the beginning was boring, but this match was fucking great in the second and third falls.

 

[Chris]

May 17, 1975 - Texas Death Match for the WWWF Heavyweight Championship: Bruno Sammartino (w/ Arnold Skaaland) (c) vs Spiros Arion (w/ Classy Freddie Blassie)
Oh god Vince McMahon is calling this match SOLO smh I bet it was his idea to have a Texas Death Match in New York. Blassie has on an amazing Pink outfit and draws some good heat, and then the crowd pops HUGE for Sammartino when he comes out. This takes forever to get started, but the crowd is so hot that it's okay. Arion attacks Sammartino before the bell, but then Sammartino goes off and this crowd is crazy hot oh my god So there's no technical wrestling in this at all and that's fine. It's a pretty good brawl and they do a good job of selling that Arion could actually win since it's not a traditional match. Sammartino is obviously still booked super strong here, Arion has to really take advantage to and then Sammartino still usually takes back control pretty quick. Arion is basically selling like he has a concussion after he fell out of the ring At one point Arion just picks Sammartino's leg up and PUNTS HIM RIGHT IN THE DICK The crowd is still crazy hot, which is definitely the best part of the match. Arion's selling is super exaggerated, but it's pretty great for this match and the crowd reacts well every time. Sammartino has to get the crowd's approval before he fights dirty and they go nuts so he kicks Arion right in the head NICE! Sammartino has a camel clutch locked on which McMahon calls a Boston Crab It slows down for a bit with Arion in control, holding off a few Sammartino comebacks. Sammartino ends up hitting a Scoop Slam which gets the three count, but his foot was on the ropes. Arion complains to the ref for awhile and tries to plead his case meanwhile the crowd is fine with it and is happy Sammartino won Not a fan of the finish but the beginning of this match was definitely fun.

 

[Chris]

April 26, 1976 - WWWF Heavyweight Championship: Bruno Sammartino (c) vs Stan Hansen
So this is the match where Stan Hansen break Bruno's neck, but I can't find footage of it anywhere Kinda odd that this match won MOTY though lol it ended with referee stoppage due to injury, but it was definitely a big deal. If any of you guys can find it that be great because I just know the Hansen heat has to be legendary.

April 30, 1977 - WWWF Heavyweight Championship: Bruno Sammartino (c) vs Superstar Billy Graham
Bro Graham has to be on so many roids already good god. Vince is calling this by himself again YAY! Just an observation but this ring does not seem too sturdy. This starts off with Graham showing that he's stronger than Sammartino which I'm assuming is not very common. Sammartino comes back and takes control for a bit working over the wrist. This crowd is pretty hot too, not like the one for Arion/Sammartino though. Graham's heel work is pretty good but this is just a lot of test of strengths, but at least the crowd is hot af for it. Might be top 5 test of strengths of all time tbh. This camera work is atrocious smh Vince couldn't afford decent cameramen yet. That test of strength had to of lasted at least half the match, but the crowd loved it. Graham is fighting dirty af at this point and the ref keeps warning him but otherwise isn't doing shit. Bruno ends up making a comeback and slams Graham into the ring post and to the floor. Graham is bleeding pretty badly now. Bruno goes at him, but Graham is able to counter to a bearhug. Sammartino breaks out and locks in his own after a nice exchange. Graham gets to the ropes and Sammartino starts beating the shit out of him until the ref makes him stop, then Graham just trips him and uses the ropes to pin him and end Bruno's final title run another shitty finish, and you could definitely tell Bruno wasn't the same after the broken neck. They had so many security guys ready to get Graham out of the building too because they knew those Baltimore fans were about to riot

 

[Chris]

February 20, 1978 - WWWF Heavyweight Championship: Superstar Billy Graham (c) vs Bob Backlund
I can't fucking find this one either other than this partial of just the ending. Backlund has a bearhug locked in, then gets an abdominal stretch, which he then goes into a hilarious Atomic Drop to win the championship Graham's foot was on the rope of course, but that shit never matters. The crowd pop when Backlund won was pretty big at least.

August 21, 1979 - NWA World Heavyweight Championship: Harley Race (c) vs Dusty Rhodes
So I only found 6 minutes of this but Gordon Solie is calling it WITH Dusty himself Rhodes comes out wearing a nice white robe and Race is sporting the porn stache. They really just show highlights of the 18 minute match and Dusty calls this the best night of his life This looks like it was fun af, they're both bleeding a good bit by the end and Dusty's commentary is fucking inspirational my god. Of course there was a ref bump at some point lmao the ending comes when Race hits a top rope headbutt Rhodes just no sells and then hits a Bionic Elbow for the win and the crowd pops loud as shit for Dusty's first title win Wish I could have watched the whole thing.

 

[Deezy]

Billy Graham was the worst mainevent wrestler I've ever seen....and I put him before Khali....he just choked, eye raked and punched.

 

[Chris]

May 19, 1980 - Texas Death Match for the WWF Heavyweight Championship: Bob Backlund (c) (w/ Arnold Skaaland) vs Ken Patera (w/ The Grand Wizard)
This is the first Wrestling Observer MOTY, another Texas Death Match in New York with Vince McMahon calling it solo Patera is also the Intercontinental Champion at this point, but only Backlund's belt is on the line. Howard Finkel is the ring announcer The brawling at the beginning was okay, Patera's selling was pretty great for it and the crowd was hot at least. Patera ends up running into the ring post shoulder first pretty hard and Patera locks on the Full Nelson, but Backlund is able to counter. They start trading punches for bit and end up back outside the ring. Patera then scoop slams Backlund right on the concrete Backlund does a good job selling Patera's power moves, then makes a decent comeback and hits the Atomic Drop and a sick looking piledriver. Backlund is dead so he barely drapes his arm over for the 2 count NICE! Nice spot where Backlund hits a high vertical suplex and both men's shoulders are down and they both end up getting one up. Patera takes control again just killing Backlund with power moves and dirty tactics which is pretty fun to watch. Backlund is finally able to make a comeback and locks on an abdominal stretch and the crowd goes NUTS! Patera gets to the ropes but that doesn't mean shit because this is a TEXAS DEATH MATCH DUH so Patera throws himself and Backlund over the top rope Patera then just starts beating the shit out of Backlund with one of the title belts. Backlund is bleeding now and Patera threatens the ref who just keeps talking shit to him Patera just keeps beating the shit out of Backlund, but can't finish him until Backlund finally is able to send him over the top rope. Backlund ends up slamming him to the ring post and Patera obviously hides his head under the ring to blade They're both bleeding pretty badly now, McMahon and the crowd both sound like they're cumming. Backlund is beating the shit out of Patera now, even sells hurting his hand from punching Patera in the face Patera hits a desperate low blow to take control again, but then Backlund catches him on the turnbuckle and throws him off. Patera ends up with a chair, but misses a couple times so Backlund gets it and hits him in the head a couple times, followed by a crossbody from the middle rope to win the match, NICE ending sequence.

 

[Chris]

1980 PWI MOTY: WWF Showdown at Shea - Steel Cage Match: Bruno Sammartino vs Larry Zbyszko
So the only way to win this is by escaping the door but it starts out with Sammartino beating the shit out of Zbyszko, looking for revenge from being turned on a few months prior. Zbyszko tries to dip any chance he gets, and Sammartino just wants to beat the shit out of him so he doesn't care about the door, great storytelling, but they're just punching and slamming each other in the cage really, crowd hot af though. Zbyszko tries to climb out the top wait I thought that wasn't allowed Bruno has had control for like 75% of the match, but that's what the crowd wants and goes great with the story. Zbyszko is really perfecting his great chicken shit heel in-ring persona when he gets control as well. Sammartino's arm gets a nasty cut from the cage at one point and Zbyszko just starts beating the shit out of it He's tried to go out the door like 10 times at this point and Sammartino hasn't even tried once NICE! Sammartino slams Zbyszko into all four ring posts while he has him trapped between the ropes and the cage Zbyszko is busted open now as Sammartino is really just manhandling him. Sammartino finally calls for the door to be open and Zbyszko can't stop him in time as he's probably concussed af or something. Zbyszko follows him out and they trade a few more punches before Zbysko ends up raising Sammartino's hand This was weird because Sammartino was just throwing him into the cage most of the match, but the storyline was him getting revenge and the fans fucking loved seeing that. Really fun for sure, looks like this was as good of a feud as everyone says it was.

 

[Deezy]

Never got why anyone would blade their arm, it's permanent and hard to hide.

Better get a bonus if you do imo.

 

[Crippler]

TO SHOW IT'S REAL! Brotha.

 

[Deezy]

bunch of marks

 

[Chris]

It looked pretty bad, made me think it could have been accidental but this is 1980 no one thought shit through.

 

[Chris]

1981 PWI MOTY: May 2, 1981 - Andre the Giant vs Killer Khan
So apparently this match where Khan breaks Andre's ankle is MOTY instead of the Stretcher match WTF well anyway I can't find a bit of footage from this, supposedly Andre broke his ankle getting out of bed and they turned it into this legendary feud.

1981 WON MOTY: Alley Fight: Pat Patterson vs Sgt. Slaughter (w/ The Grand Wizard)
An Alley Fight means no refs and no holds barred so how do you even win :hm:McMahon is cumming because they can wear street clothes and Patterson shows up with a tight af "I <3 NY" shirt on. This is just a fucking brawl to start, Patterson uses his belt to whip the fuck out of Slaughter Slaughter's first offense in like 5 minutes is finally sending Patterson over the top rope while he was being choked by Patterson's belt. Patterson is able to get the belt back and just starts beating the shit out of him again. Slaughter finally gets the belt and puts it over Patterson's mouth like a gag instead of choking him with it Slaughter rips off that god awful shirt Patterson had on and uses it to choke him. Slaughter goes for some kind of diving move but doesn't really do much as Patterson moves anyway. This is a really sloppy but believable looking brawl. At one point Slaughter teases jumping from the top rope to outside of the ring and just changes his mind with no heat at all Back in the ring, Patterson hits a nice slingshot and Slaughter hits the ring post and instantly starts gushing blood HOLY FUCK Slaughter's whole face is covered in seconds and the crowd finally gets hot because they're bloodthirsty animals. Slaughter ends up using some brass knuckles, but he can't capitalize because of the blood loss. Patterson ends up taking his boot off and hitting Slaughter with it a few times while he's still just pouring blood. Slaughter ends up falling off the apron onto a camera man at one point Patterson then starts hitting the fuck out of Slaughter with his boot until The Grand Wizard throws in the towel so I guess that's how you win. They declare Patterson the winner as Slaughter looks confused af wanting to fight some more with blood all over himself That was fun, especially towards the end when the crowd was hot.

 

[Deezy]

Patterson played a babyface? This is news to me.

 

[Chris]

1982 PWI MOTY: Steel Cage Match for the WWF Heavyweight Championship: Bob Backlund (c) vs Jimmy Snuka (w/ Captain Lou Albano)
Kinda surprised Backlund still had the belt at this point tbh this company really needs Hulkamania soon. Supposedly Mick Foley and like half the ECW original roster were in the crowd tonight and this inspired them to all be wrestlers, but I don't see none of em Snuka takes years to get in the cage until Backlund finally gets mad and brings him in thank FUCK! This is a solid 80s WWF brawl with super exaggerated selling. Snuka's strikes are pretty fun, and he tries to escape from the door after being in control for awhile, but Backlund stops him pretty easily. Backlund is really taking a beating now, but Snuka still can't manage to get out the door. Backlund finally makes a comeback and slams Snuka into the cage which looks like it almost broke Snuka is bleeding now after being slammed into the cage a few more times and the crowd is going crazy now. Backlund makes the mistake of trying to headbutt a Samoan but HURTS HIMSELF The crowd pops huge every time Snuka even goes to the middle rope, but boos him anytime he does anything that's not a flying move lol Snuka ends up hitting a suplex that Backlund convulses after. Snuka then climbs all the way to the top of the cage and jumps 3/4s of the way across the ring only to MISS Backlund keeps rolling until he ends up out of the cage and the crowd is going absolutely crazy, I think I see young Mick Foley shedding a tear.

1982 WON MOTY: NJPW Summer Fight Series 2: Day 19 - WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship: Tiger Mask (c) vs Dynamite Kid
So this starts off fast af with some great technical stuff mixed in. This opening exchange is just fucking amazing, neither can get the best of the other and the strikes and reversals are just phenomenal. Dynamite finally gets control for a bit, working the leg as we see Giant Baba is on commentary for the match too bad I don't speak Japanese. Tiger Mask is able to roll the Indian Deathlock over to reverse the pressure Dynamite gets pissed at that and just says FUCK THIS and throws him out of the ring to suplex him on the floor Tiger Mask ends up making a comeback and SUPLEXES DYNAMITE OVER THE TOP ROPE Dynamite tries to headstand out of a headscissors, but Tiger Mask just slams his head in the mat, then picks him up and piledrives him to further concuss Dynamite We get another fast break by both men with Dynamite able to take control and saves a botch by hitting a brutal elbow drop lmao They manage to have another amazing pure technical exchange where Tiger Mask is able to lock in the bow and arrow stretch but only for a few seconds Tiger Mask really starts focusing on Dynamite's leg now with some really solid kicks and holds. Dynamite gets a break after a missed crossbody, hits a Tombstone followed by a diving headbutt only for Tiger Mask to KICK OUT Tiger Mask then sends Dynamite over the top rope and hits a running splash over the top rope, then sends him back in the ring to hit a moonsault for the win. Yeah this match is everything you've heard about it, solid technical, brawling, and flying stuff throughout. Really good shit.

 

[Deezy]

It was Muraco/Snuka cage match that inspired everyone from the New York