-RIP Jerry Jarrett and Richard Belzer.
-My accident.
-Today, Project 45 goes back to the day I turned 4 as we look at WWF All-Star Wrestling from January 16, 1982 from the WWF.
-WWE All-Star wrestling was shown on January 16, 1982. It was recorded January 6, 1982 from Hamburg field house in Hamburg, PA.
-Intro.
-Vince McMahon and Pat Patterson are the announcers for the show and welcome us to All-Star Wrestling. Patterson looks like a deer in the headlights here. They say this week we will take a look at Jesse The Body Ventura and then run down the rest of the card. McMahon is very quiet and hoarse here as if he has a sore throat. Gary Michael Cappetta is the announcer and he runs down the State Athletic Commission, timekeeper, doctor and the referees before introducing Jesse Ventura with Fred Blassie vs. Steve King: This is the wrestler Steve King, not the famous writer or crackpot former congressman. Ventura has an earring in, a beret with a feather in it, and a peacock like robe that he takes off. Also he has sunglasses on. The bell rings and they slowly circle each other. They lock up and Ventura pushes King into a corner. They circle each other again and another lock up and a wrist lock by Ventura. He then pulls King down to the mat by his trunks when the referee isn't looking. King gets back to his feet and Ventura denies pulling him down by his trunks when asked by the referee, but does it again when the ref isn't looking. Ventura again denies it as King makes his way back to his feet. King with a series of forearm smashes to Ventura only to get rocked when Ventura comes back with a forearm smash of his own. Ventura then runs King into a turnbuckle. Ventura then runs his shoulder into King several times. Ventura with another forearm to King, who was driven to his knees by the series of shoulders from Ventura. Ventura then grabs King and runs him head first along the top rope. Ventura then steps on King's throat and gets admonished by the referee. McMahon and Patterson talk about Fred Blassie not having managed a WWF Champion and how it eats at him. Just wait less than two years to remedy that guys as we went over the Iron Sheik/Bob Backlund match in the archives on episode 149. Ventura with a right hand to knock King back down. Ventura picks King up and delivers a shot to the kidney area and King goes back down. Ventura then drops a knee/ankle down on King's back. Ventura then flexes and poses for the crowd. The crowd boos. Ventura with another shot to King's kidneys. Ventura concentrates on that area as he delivers another right hand there. Ventura with a backbreaker to King, but lifts him up at the two count. Referee Dick Worley warns Ventura to pin his man. Ventura with a throat thrust and a corner whip to King. Ventura then does the over the shoulder backbreaker and King gives up. Ventura drops King down. Ventura poses and the crowd boos.
-Steve Travis vs. Victor Mercado: The bell rings and they circle each other as someone in the crowd yells don't take no shit. This isn't ECW in the 90's sir. For goodness sake. They lock up and Travis with an arm drag. They lock up again and Travis with another arm drag. Mercado up and Travis comes back with a side headlock takeover. Mercado counters briefly with a headscissors before Travis pushes off and both wrestlers get back to their feet. They then repeat the headlock takeover/headscissors spot and I didn't expect us to be in reruns so soon. Mercado rushes Travis, who catches him in a drop toe hold. Travis rolls Mercado over and gets a one count. Mercado trying to avoid getting pinned and finally makes his way over to the ropes. Both wrestlers back to their feet and circling each other again. Travis gets a waist lock. He then takes Mercado down. He tries to get Mercado down and Mercado fighting for all he is worth to avoid getting pinned. They grapple on the mat until Mercado reaches the ropes again. They break and both get back to their feet. They lock up again. Mercado drives Travis to a corner and rakes his eyes. Mercado then runs Travis head first into the turnbuckle a couple of times. Mercado then hits a dropkick on Travis. Mercado gets Travis in a front face lock, but Travis counters with a scoop slam. Travis then drops on Mercado for a two count. Travis with an Irish whip and a back elbow to pin Mercado.
-Tony Atlas vs. Jose Estrada: The bell rings and they circle each other. They lock up and Estrada with a side headlock. Atlas fighting to get out of the move. He finally wriggles free. Estrada complains that Atlas has something in his hair and the referee checks Atlas. Estrada then has his head checked by the referee and he doesn't like that at all. They lock up again and Estrada with a front face lock. Atlas lifts Estrada up while still in the move and puts Estrada on the top rope. Estrada visibly frustrated as Atlas just leaves him on the tope rope. Estrada jumps down to the mat. They lock up again and Estrada hits Atlas with a couple of eye rakes and a forearm. He gets Atlas down to the mat with kicks and stomps. He rakes the eyes again and then goes back to stomping Atlas. He gets a two count and Atlas throws Estrada off when he kicks out. Estrada comes back with knees to Atlas' head before Atlas can get back to his feet. Estrada is relentless with forearms, but Atlas powers through the pain to get back to his feet. Estrada keeps pounding Atlas with forearms. Atlas comes back with a shot to Estrada's midsection. Atlas comes back with more shots and pushes Estrada down. Estrada back to his feet only to get an elbow by Atlas. Atlas runs Estrada into a turnbuckle. Then into another turnbuckle. Estrada falls face first to the mat. Atlas picks Estrada up and punches him in the back of the head. Atlas then punches Estrada in the throat. He then delivers an elbow to the head and Atlas is on a roll here. Atlas with a gut wrench suplex. Atlas then drops an elbow on Estrada. Atlas picks Estrada up and runs him into a turnbuckle again. Estrada comes back with a shot to Atlas. Estrada with a series of knees to Atlas. He then starts kicking Atlas in the stomach. Atlas back to his feet and trying to shake off the barrage by Estrada. Estrada with a headlock and a punch to Atlas. Atlas comes back with a shot to Estrada, but it looks like Estrada has really done some damage to Atlas as Atlas looks out of it. Estrada headbutts Atlas in the stomach in a unique move that drives Atlas to his knees. Estrada follows that up with a series of knees to the forehead. Estrada with a forearm to the back, but Atlas is making his way back to his feet. Atlas coming back with a barrage of offense. Atlas with a headbutt that knocks Estrada to the mat. Estrada gets back to his feet and Atlas hits him with another headbutt. Atlas then pins Estrada and the referee took about a second and a half to count to three.
-Pat Patterson is with Lou Albano and the World Tag Team Champions Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito. Patterson says there is a lot of controversy about how they won the championship. Albano says it was an optical illusion that looks like they threw salt at Rick Martel. Albano is hilarious here. Fuji says Patterson needs to go see an eye doctor because there was no salt. Fuji then talks about his father torturing American G.Is during WWII and that took a dark turn. Saito says it's easy to make money in America because American wrestlers are easy to beat.
-Non Title Tag Team Match. WWF Tag Team Champions Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito with Captain Lou Albano vs. Charlie Brown and Dominic Denucci: Denucci gets a good ovation when introduced. The champions and Albano are booed heavily. Fuji does his salt routine before the match starts. Saito and Denucci start. The bell rings. Saito aggressively chasing Denucci around the ring. They lock up and Denucci gets Saito into the ropes. Clean break and another lock up. Saito with a side headlock. Denucci reverses into an overhead wrist lock. Saito comes back with a waist lock takedown. They grapple on the ground for a minute. Both get back to their feet. Denucci with a forearm. Saito counters with a front face lock and Denucci down to his knees. Denucci spins and reverses the hold. Saito breaks the hold. They circle each other again and Denucci with a side headlock. Fuji tagged in and the champions double team Denucci briefly before Saito gets out. Fuji drops an elbow on the back of Denucci's head. Fuji with a takedown into an arm bar. A couple of reversals with wrist locks and Fuji gets Denucci back down to the mat. Denucci kicks Fuji off and they lock up again. Fuji with a shot to the ribs as Denucci gets a side headlock on. Fuji pushes off and Denucci comes back with a shoulder block. Fuji gets back to his feet and hip tosses Denucci. Denucci kicks Fuji as he comes over. Denucci follows that up with an arm drag. Denucci comes up with a wrist lock and hits Fuji with a forearm. Denucci then hold Fuji for Brown to hit and then Brown tags in. Brown hits Fuji with some forearms as the referee tries to get Denucci out. Fuji comes back with some strikes to Brown. Fuji chops Brown, tags Saito in, and then holds Brown for Saito to hit. Saito hits Brown with a forearm from the second rope. Brown tries to get away but keeps getting hit with forearms from Saito. Saito chops Brown into the heels corner. Saito beats Brown down like he is a McDonalds window after hours. Saito gets Brown down and then hip tosses him over. Saito kicking Brown and then tags Fuji in and holds Brown for Fuji. Fuji kicks Brown and then drops an elbow on Brown as Saito gets out. Fuji with a scoop slam and a nice diving elbow that was impressive to see. Saito tagged back in. He hits a side suplex and pins Brown.
-Non Title Match. WWF Champion Bob Backlund with Arnold Skaaland vs. Hans Schroeder: Backlund still popular here. The bell rings and they circle each other. Backlund with a brief waist lock and Schroeder gets free. Another lock up and they do a couple of standing switches. Backlund with a hammerlock, but Schroeder gets to the ropes. Another lock up, hammerlock, ropes combo. Another lock up and Schroeder with an overhead wrist lock. Backlund counters into a hammerlock, but Schroeder gets back to the ropes and I think it is time for them to learn something new. Another lock up and Schroeder with a snap mare. Schroeder follows that up with a scoop slam. Backlund comes back with a delayed scoop slam. Backlund with a quick pick up to Schroeder to knock him off his feet. Another lock up and Schroeder with a single leg. Backlund comes back with boots to the face of Schroeder to knock him down. Lock up and Schroeder with a side headlock. Backlund reverses it into an arm bar. A series of reversals and both get back to their feet. Backlund with a quick takeover back to the arm bar. Schroeder up and gets to the ropes. Schroeder has Backlund up in the ropes and it takes him a three count to break and Backlund comes up with his fist raised to Schroeder. They lock up and do the same ropes spot and Backlund is getting frustrated. Backlund with a side headlock. Schroeder pushes off. Backlund with a shoulder block. Schroeder with a hip lock and Backlund kicks Schroeder away. A series of side headlocks and head scissor reversals by both men. Backlund finally gets a side headlock and a two count before Schroeder gets his shoulder up. Schroeder up and gets to the ropes and hits Backlund with a knee to the stomach as Backlund let's go of the headlock. Schroeder unloading on Backlund with a right hand and then runs Backlund into a turnbuckle. Schroeder follows that up with a snap mare and a rear chin lock. Backlund gets out of the hold and stomps Schroeder while he is on the ground. The crowd loves that so Backlund does it again. Backlund with an arm bar and he is getting rough with Schroeder. They trade wrist locks and Schroeder drops a leg on Backlund. McMahon and Patterson talking about Skaaland and his habit of swallowing tobacco juice when he chews tobacco. Back and forth and Backlund goes back to the arm bar. Into a hammerlock and Schroeder gets to the ropes. Backlund breaks on the three count. They trade blows. Backlund gets a side headlock on. Schroeder pushes off. Backlund with a shoulder block and both men down. Both up at 7. Schroeder charges Backlund, who catches Schroeder in a rolling bridge to get the pin. They shake hands after the match and Schroeder raises Backlund's hand.
-Charlie Fulton vs. Jeff Craney: The bell rings and it takes them a minute to get ready and lock up. Fulton on offense early with knees to Craney. Fulton then Irish whips and knees Craney again. All Fulton as he gets a scoop slam on. Irish whip and a back elbow by Fulton. He then gets Craney in a snap mare and drops a knee on Craney. Craney tries to come back with some left and rights, but Fulton knocks Craney down with a forearm. Fulton with a corner whip and shoulder blocks to Craney. All Fulton at this point as Craney falls out to the floor. Fulton power slams Craney back in from the apron. Fulton gets the pin after a leg drop.
-They preview what's coming up next week and sign off from Hamburg.
-Final Thoughts: This was an enjoyable show. Nothing flashy but it was effective.