-Project 45 goes back to 1983 this week as we look at the WWF on MSG show from December 1983 and the night that changed a lot of things.
-This was not a great time for me as I had just started school and was just miserable with a bad teacher.
-The WWF on MSG was broadcast on the MSG network and took place December 26, 1983 from Madison Square Garden in New York City. There were 22,000 in attendance.
-Old School Intro.
-We start with Jose Luis Rivera in the ring. Gorilla Monsoon and Pat Patterson are our announcers for the evening.
-Jose Luis Rivera vs. Rene Goulet: Howard Finkel announces all of the New York Athletic Commission people in attendance. Referee Gilberto Roman goes over the rules as the bell rings. They lock up briefly and Goulet pushes off. Another lock up and Rivera pushes off. Another lock up and Goulet with an arm drag into an arm bar. Rivera reverses it into a headscissors. Both back up and Goulet complains that his hair was pulled. Another lock up and Rivera with a side headlock and Gorilla and Pat are foreshadowing what is going to happen later by saying Bob Backlund injured himself attempting the Persian club challenge. Goulet pushes off and Rivera comes back with a shoulder block. Goulet avoids a shot, but not a side headlock takeover. Goulet grabbing Rivera's head and nose trying to get out of the move. They get back to their feet. Goulet pushes off and lands a knee into Rivera. He goes to drop an elbow on Rivera, who moves and gets another side headlock takeover on Goulet. Goulet back up and gets to the ropes and hits Rivera with a big forearm. He follows it up with a snap mare and a rear chin lock. Rivera with an arm drag to get out of the move. Goulet with a knee to the stomach and a dropkick. He then does a snap mare and into another rear chin lock. Rivera back to his feet and trying to break the hold. Goulet with a handful of hair to drive Rivera back to the ground. Rivera back up and gets to the ropes. Goulet up on the second turnbuckle and biting Rivera. Goulet then attacking the back with forearms. He then runs Rivera face first into a corner turnbuckle. Rivera reverses a corner whip and gets a nice hip toss on Goulet. Goulet begging off. He then covers up in a corner and Rivera is hesitant to go in. Another lock up and Rivera with a side headlock takeover. Into a hammer lock. Goulet biting Rivera on the side to get out of the move. Goulet with a kick and a snap mare. He then stomps Rivera in the stomach. He gets a two count. Goulet with a headscissors. Rivera rolls out of the move. Goulet drives Rivera down to the mat for a two count. He gets a few two counts, but Rivera bridges out. Back to their feet and Rivera wins a test of strength. I wonder if this was the best way to start the evening. Goulet with a side headlock and a punch to the face of Rivera. He drives Rivera head first into a turnbuckle. Another side headlock and punch and then Goulet choking Rivera on the top rope. Goulet with a series of forearms to Rivera's back. Rivera with a corner whip and Goulet goes head first into the turnbuckle. Rivera with an Irish whip and a backdrop. Rivera with a flying headscissors, hooks the leg, and gets the pin.
-Salvatore Bellomo vs. Tiger Chung Lee: The bell rings and they circle each other. Lee with a side headlock takeover. Bellomo back to his feet quickly. Back to the side headlock for Lee. Another takeover. Bellomo back to his feet. Lee with a throat thrust. Bellomo back up and gets a side headlock on. Lee pushes off and Bellomo comes back with a shoulder block. Bellomo with a dropkick. Lee out on the apron after that shot. Lee with a waist lock takedown into an arm lock when Bellomo gets back up so Lee pulls the hair to get him back down. Bellomo gets back to his feet. Bellomo with a hammerlock. Lee with a drop toe hold back into the arm bar. Into a takeover and Lee kicks Bellomo in the throat. Into a throat and shoulder hold. Bellomo trying to break the hold. An elbow to the midsection breaks the hold. Double chop by Lee knocks Bellomo back down and Lee goes back to the throat and shoulder hold. Bellomo moving around the ring to try to break the hold. Lee double downs on the hold. Bellomo again moving around to try to get out of the hold. Bellomo breaks the hold, so Lee with a shot to the throat. Back to a nerve hold. Lee runs Bellomo into a turnbuckle. Bellomo fights back to his knees and then to his feet. An elbow to Lee breaks the hold. Lee comes back with a shoulder block. Bellomo with a backdrop. Bellomo attacking Lee in the corner. Bellomo with a corner whip and Lee upside down in the other corner as a result. Bellomo then comes over and stands on the neck of Lee. Lee then begging off. Bellomo with a dropkick and a snap mare. Double stomp to Lee. Big forearm and another dropkick to Lee. Lee with a kick to Bellomo. Bellomo with a headbutt. Back and forth in the center of the ring. Lee with an Irish whip and a chop to Bellomo. Lee with an elbow to the throat for a two count. Lee goes back to the nerve hold. Lee then drops an elbow on Bellomo. Back to the nerve hold. The referee tries the arm, but it doesn't fall a third time. Bellomo back to his feet and throws big right hands to Lee to try to get out of the move. He does and Lee is unsteady on his feet after the blows. Bellomo with a snap mare and he goes for a nerve hold on Lee. Lee appears to be fading. He is fighting to get back to his feet. A chop to Bellomo breaks the hold. Lee with another chop and a thrust kick to knock Bellomo down. Bellomo with a kick to keep Lee away. Bellomo with a knee lift to Lee. Another knee lift by Bellomo and he goes back to the nerve hold. Lee gets Bellomo up on his back in a modified fireman's carry position while still in the nerve hold. He places Bellomo on the top turnbuckle and hits him with a chop that knocks Bellomo around and he lands on the apron. Lee drapes Bellomo backwards over the top rope and chops him hard. He then does it again and the referee makes him move back. Bellomo gets back inside the ring and Lee attacks him with a kick to the face. Lee with an Irish whip, drops his head too early, and Bellomo kicks him in the face. Bellomo with a big right hand to the top of the head. Lee comes back with a double throat thrust. Bellomo comes back with a double leg takedown. He then headbutts him a couple of times in the groin region. Lee begging off. Bellomo with a corner mounted punch and a snap mare. Into a sleeper. Lee gets out of it and hits a couple of shoulder blocks. Bellomo does a nice move that looks like he's going to do a flying forearm, but he lands on Lee's back and reapplies the sleeper. Lee immediately runs Bellomo into a corner to break the hold. Lee follows that up with a kick and a double underhook suplex. He gets a two count. Lee with a backbreaker for another two count. Bellomo reverses into a gut wrench suplex. Back and forth with headbutts and chops. Lee with a belly to back suplex. Bellomo gets an abdominal stretch on. Lee hip locks his way out of the move. Bellomo follows that up with a half crab. Lee powers out with the help of a handful of tights. Bellomo with a European uppercut. back and forth again with shots and chops to each other by the ropes. Lee with a chop to the throat to knock Bellomo down. Lee with an Irish whip and a chop to the stomach. He follows that up with a knee drop and gets a two count. Bellomo with a shot and a two count. Exchanging shots by the ropes. Bellomo with a snap mare and a boot stomp to Lee. Bellomo goes back to a nerve hold on Lee. He goes into a chin lock with a step over that Lee reverses into a bow and arrow. Bellomo breaks the hold and falls on Lee, but he kicks Bellomo off before the referee can start counting. Bellomo with a single leg pick up and comes crashing down on Lee's leg. He gets a two count and Lee kicks out as the bell rings and time has expired. Lee beating Bellomo in the corner. Bellomo exploding on Lee, who bails to the outside. The match is ruled a draw.
-Tag match. Jimmy Snuka and Arnold Skaaland vs. Don Muraco and Lou Albano: Muraco is the current Intercontinental champion and he and Albano are booed heavily. Patterson and Monsoon make fun of Albano and his weight. Skaaland and Muraco start. Muraco making fun of Skaaland. They lock up and drive to a corner. Muraco hits Skaaland several times and then corner whips him. He goes for a corner charge, but Skaaland moves and Muraco hits the corner post. Skaaland follows that up with a couple of arm drags. Muraco comes back with a side headlock. Skaaland pushes off and drops down. Muraco stops to avoid getting hit and Skaaland scoop slams him. Albano comes in and Skaaland hits him with a big right hand. The crowd chants beach bum to Muraco. Muraco irate at the crowd. Skaaland with a side headlock. Muraco pushes off. Skaaland nails Albano on the ropes and then gets a small package on Muraco. He gets a two count and the crowd is going crazy. Muraco rolls to the outside. Back in the ring, Skaaland gets by Muraco and tags Snuka in. Albano wandering down the apron, so Snuka gives him a shot. Muraco and Snuka lock up. Muraco with a side headlock. Snuka pushes off and Muraco comes back with a shoulder block. Snuka with drop downs and leapfrogs to avoid Muraco. Snuka with a karate thrust to knock Muraco down. He follows that up with a headbutt to get a two count. Snuka with a headlock. Muraco gets to the corner and Albano tagged in. Snuka with some chops. Albano gets a shot of his own in. Albano attacking Snuka in the heel's corner. Snuka trying to come back with some shots of his own. Albano distracts the referee, so Muraco can go to the top holding Snuka and drive his knee into Snuka's throat. Albano with some shots to Snuka before tagging Muraco back in. Muraco attacking Snuka and driving his taped thumb into Snuka's throat. Muraco attacking Snuka with kicks to the stomach while Snuka is down as the beach bum chant goes out again. More chops and thumbs to Snuka as he struggles to get to his feet. Back and forth in the middle of the ring. Snuka with a headbutt and a chop to knock Muraco down. Snuka then goes over to do the same thing to Albano on the apron and Muraco dropkicks him from behind. Albano tagged in. He attacks Snuka. Muraco tagged in and gets Snuka in a full nelson for Albano to hit, but Snuka ducks and Muraco gets hit instead. Skaaland comes in and punches Albano to keep him in the corner. Snuka comes off the top rope with a crossbody to Muraco to get the pin. Albano takes a whack at Patterson as he goes by and Patterson goes after him temporarily.
-Lord Alfred Hayes interviews Arnold Skaaland and Jimmy Snuka. Skaaland says the reason he did so well was because he had such a great tag team partner. Snuka wishes everybody out there a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. He tells Buddy Rogers that he hopes he is doing well and that he had a good partner to take his spot and it looks like Snuka is out of his mind on some substance here.
-Sgt. Slaughter vs. Chief Jay Strongbow: The bell rings and they run the ropes. Strongbow gets the sleeper on Slaughter. Slaughter gets out of it and bails to the outside to regroup. Strongbow comes out to the apron to yell at Slaughter. Back in, they lock up and Strongbow with a side headlock. Slaughter pushes off and Strongbow comes back with a shoulder block. They avoid each other with dropdowns and baseball slides until Strongbow chops Slaughter down. Strongbow with an arm drag into an arm lock on Slaughter. Slaughter trying to get back to his feet. He does but Strongbow still has the hold on. Slaughter finally pushes off and gets a drop toe hold on Strongbow. Slaughter with a punch to Strongbow, who comes back with an arm drag and back to the arm bar. Slaughter again trying to get back to his feet. He does and sends Strongbow into a corner and hits him with a back elbow. Slaughter hits Strongbow with some forearms to the back. He then stomps Strongbow down by the ropes. Strongbow goes to the outside to regroup. Slaughter attacking Strongbow with stomps as soon as Strongbow gets back in the ring. Slaughter then hits a backbreaker on Strongbow. He gets a two count. Slaughter then hits another backbreaker. He gets another two count. Slaughter gets Strongbow into a corner and hits him with several forearms. Slaughter with a corner whip, but misses the corner charge when Strongbow lifts up to avoid the pin. Both men go for a side headlock and collide head-to-head and both are down. A double count going. Both up at 5 and Slaughter goes for a scoop slam, but Strongbow just falls on him for a two count. Slaughter gets the Cobra Clutch on, but Strongbow is close to the ropes and grabs them. Slaughter chokes him on the top rope for a bit before letting go. Slaughter attacking Strongbow, but Strongbow is starting to go into his "war dance" routine. I put that in quotes because he is Italian and not from Oklahoma as billed. Strongbow hits a chop and a high knee lift. Strongbow with an Irish whip and a sleeper, but Slaughter is close to the ropes and grabs them. Slaughter with a big boot and goes for an Irish whip, but Strongbow reverses it again and again gets the sleeper on. Slaughter trying to get to the ropes, but he is starting to fade. He goes down to his knees, but finally does reach the ropes. Strongbow argues with the referee. Slaughter pushes the referee to the side, hits Strongbow with a cannon clothesline, and pins him.
-The Masked Superstar vs. Ivan Putski: The bell rings and they lock up and push off. Another lock up and Putski with a side headlock. He cranks it on and Superstar goes down to his knees. Superstar gets back to his feet and pushes off and Putski comes back with a shoulder block. Putski goes right back to that side headlock. Superstar pulls the hair, so Putski hits him in the face and gets admonished by the referee, who didn't see the hair pull. Putski goes back to the side headlock. Superstar down to one knee. Another hair pull and punch. Putski is visibly frustrated, but goes back to the side headlock. Superstar gets to the ropes and attacks Putski with punches and kicks as soon as he lets go. Superstar with a shot to the throat. Another thrust to the throat knocks Putski down. Superstar with a rear chin lock to Putski. Putski gets back to his feet and pushes off and Superstar comes back with a shoulder block. Superstar with a side headlock takeover, which Putski quickly reverses into a leg scissors. Superstar trying to get out of the hold. Fans trying to get Putski to take the mask off. Putski breaks the hold and puts on a reverse double chin lock. Superstar fighting the move, grabs Putski by the ear to break the hold, punches Putski in the throat to knock him down. He then throws Puski to the outside. Putski gets back in and Superstar throws him out on another side. Superstar goes out to the apron and kicks Putski as he is trying to get back in. He does it several times until the referee can get him away. Superstar then lifts Putski up on the apron and gets him back in the ring. Superstar hits an atomic drop on Putski. Superstar goes for a neck breaker, but Putski gets his hand on the top rope. Superstar beats on Putski and goes for the neck breaker again, but again Putski gets the top rope. Superstar with an Irish whip. Putski comes back and hits Superstar with the Polish Hammer. A big right hand by Putski knocks Superstar back to his knees as Putski mimes that he is going to try to take the mask off. Superstar starts to climb out of the ring, but gets yanked back in by Putski. He goes to pull the mask off. The referee tries to stop him and gets pushed aside by Putski. Superstar kicks Putski to get away. Putski goes back to pulling the mask off by the ropes. The referee tries to get between the two and gets pushed to the ropes and Putski and Superstar both get disqualified. Superstar holds his mask in place and immediately goes back to the dressing room area.
-WWF Heavyweight Championship Match. Bob Backlund with Arnold Skaaland vs. The Iron Sheik with Fred Blassie: Sheik booed and Backlund gets some respectable cheers as they are introduced. A USA chant goes out as the announcers talk again about Backlund being injured by the Persian clubs. Sheik attacks Backlund before the bell or before Sheik even gets his stuff off. He takes his head covering off and puts it around Backlund's neck. He takes the rest of his stuff off and the ref gets the head covering away from him. Sheik puts the boots to Backlund. He keeps kicking Backlund's back over and over. Sheik puts an arm bar on Backlund. Backlund with an arm drag to get out of the move, but grabs his arm and goes down. Sheik back with some kicks and goes back to the arm bar. Sheik working hard on the arm. Backlund lifts Sheik over to break the hold. Sheik with another kick and goes right back to the arm bar. Backlund pushes off and Sheik comes back with a shoulder block. Backlund with an arm drag and both arms seem to be hurting Backlund. Sheik goes right back to the arm bar. Backlund fighting it as Sheik pours on the hold. Sheik with right hand blows to the arm and then goes right back to the arm bar. He then gets a front chancery on as well as the arm bar. Backlund gets his shoulder up. Backlund pushing Sheik away to avoid trying to get pinned. Backlund with a kick to break the hold and a shot to keep Sheik away. Back and forth in the ring and Sheik gets a big right hand to the shoulder. Sheik with a surfboard to Backlund. Backlund drops down and kicks Sheik to break the hold. He then headbutts Sheik in the midsection. He then hits Sheik with a right hand to knock him down. Backlund with a running elbow to Sheik. Backlund with a double leg clap to Sheik's head. Backlund tries for a belly to back suplex, but collapses to the mat in pain. Both men down and a double count going. Sheik up and gets a side headlock and back to the arm bar on the prone Backlund. Backlund trying to get back up. He gets to a seated position. He twists around and headbutts Sheik in the chest to break the hold. Another shot knocks Sheik down when he tries to get back up. He then twists his boot on Sheik's face. Sheik begging off on his knees and Backlund kicks him in the face. Backlund picks Sheik up for a scoop slam, but Sheik falls on him for a two count. Sheik goes back to the surfboard and applying tremendous pressure. Backlund powers out and reverses it, but Sheik turns it right back around again. Backlund gets back to his feet and again reverses the hold and again Sheik turns him right back over into the same position. Backlund flips Sheik over and hooks both legs, but the Sheik immediately kicks out of the move. Sheik with a side headlock takeover. Backlund with a leg scissors into a sitting bear hug like maneuver. Bridge out of the move and Backlund turns it into a back slide. He can't hold onto Sheik though and Sheik immediately goes back to kicking the arm. Sheik then hits several right hands to Backlund. he goes to drop an elbow, but Backlund moves. Sheik goes for a suplex, but Backlund slips behind and rolls Sheik up for a two count as the Sheik powers out of the move as Backlund was going for a bridge. Backlund holding his neck. Sheik gets him in the Camel Clutch. Backlund fighting it. Skaaland throws the towel in to submit for Backlund and the Iron Sheik is the new WWF Champion. Skaaland checks on Backlund. Blassie puts the belt on Sheik as Howard Finkel announces the result to the crowd.
-Lord Alfred Hayes interviews Fred Blassie and the Iron Sheik. Blassie says that he predicted that this would happen tonight. Sheik says that Backlund could have beaten an American, but he's not American, he's from Iran.
-Tony Atlas, Rocky Johnson, and SD Jones vs. the Wild Samoans Afa, Sika, and Samula 2/3 falls match: Afa and Atlas start pushing each other. All 6 men in and fighting now. The faces clear the ring. Atlas puts on one of the sarongs to the delight of the crowd. Throw in a woman's high heel shoe and you've got Tony Atlas's perfect evening planned. Samula comes in and Atlas hits him with a couple of arm drags and he bails out again. Sika comes in and Atlas power slams him. Samoans regroup in the corner. Atlas and Sika now lock up. Atlas with an arm wringer and Jones tagged in. He picks the arm wringer up and then tags Johnson in. He holds the arm wringer and tags Atlas back in. Faces tagging quickly to start. Then Jones tagged back in. It's like they are calling a square dance here. They get Sika down on the mat. Atlas back in. Sika up and tags in Afa. Afa doesn't want to lock up, so Atlas runs his and Samula's heads together. Atlas getting the crowd into the match. Afa and Atlas lock up and drive to the ropes. Sika grabs Atlas for Afa to chop, but Atlas ducks and Sika gets chopped instead and falls to the floor. This whole match has been a three-stooges skit so far. Atlas runs Afa into Jones' boot and then he is tagged in. Sika comes in and attacks Atlas from behind. Faces triple teaming Afa in the corner while the referee is busy trying to get Sika and Samula out of the ring and back to the apron. Jones runs Sika and Afa into each other head first. Jones and Johnson switch off. Afa with an Irish whip, Johnson hits the other Samoans on the apron, but Afa nails him when he turns around. The crowd chants Rocky as Afa knocks Johnson to the apron. Samula tagged in and hits Johnson with a headbutt to the midsection. Sika tagged in and he headbutts Johnson down and tags Afa in. Afa with an Irish whip and Johnson comes back with a sunset flip. He only gets a two count as Sika comes in to break up the pin attempt. All 6 men in briefly as Jones and Atlas get the other two Samoans out. Johnson with an Irish whip and both men collide and both down. A double count going. All 6 men back in the ring now. Johnson goes to scoop slam Afa, who falls on him but only gets a two count. Jones slams Samula off the top rope as he goes up. All 6 men were brawling and the referee called for the bell. They are still brawling as Howard Finkel tries to get in the ring to announce the decision. Finkel announces a double disqualification so both teams have one fall apiece. When they come back. Jones and Samula are battling back and forth in the middle of the ring. Jones finally gets the upper hand. He gets Samula down. Samula gets back up and Jones headbutts him down again. He runs Samula into the faces corner and Johnson tagged in. Johnson comes in and hits Samula with a flurry of left and right hands and then does some foot work after he knocks Samula down. Samula keeps trying to attack Johnson, who keeps avoiding him. Sika comes in and Johnson hits him for his troubles. Atlas tagged in. Johnson with an Irish whip to Samula and a double shot to the stomach by the tag team champions. Atlas hits a piledriver on Samula. Patterson says he has a hard head and it won't affect him very much as we have reached the insensitive part of our program. Samula low blows Atlas, who falls down. Faces try to get in, but the referee keeps them back and Afa comes in to do a falling head butt to Atlas on the apron. Afa attacking Atlas with strikes. Sika tagged in and Afa holds Atlas for Sika to hit before the referee forces Afa out. Atlas trying to fight back, but Sika gets him in a full nelson for Samula to chop then Samula tagged in. He nails Atlas again to knock him down to the ground. Atlas fights back to his feet, but doesn't know where he is and wanders into the wrong corner and gets nailed by a shot from Afa. Samula with a cover, but only gets a two count. Afa tagged in and the Samoans with a double Irish whip and clothesline. Afa then hits a flying headbutt on Atlas. Another two count. Atlas comes back with a suplex to Afa. Both men down and a double count going. Samoans trying to double and triple team Atlas. Johnson comes in to complain. Referee gets him out. Sika tries to come in and drop a headbutt, but Atlas moves. Afa attacking Atlas, who is trying to get back to his feet, but doesn't look like he knows where he is. He is knocked out to the apron and onto the floor. Johnson comes over to try to get his partner back in the ring. Samula comes over and smashes Atlas head first onto the apron. Johnson finally gets Atlas back into the ring. Sika in and hits Atlas, who tries to come back with a shot of his own. Atlas goes towards his own corner to tag, but Sika clips his knee to cut off the tag attempt. Another shot knocks Atlas back down and Afa tagged in. Afa with an Irish whip, but drops his head too early and Atlas kicks him in the face. Atlas then dropkicks Afa down. Jones tagged in. He Irish whips Afa into Samu who tried to come in. Jones with a shoulder block to Afa. He rushes Afa, who catches Jones with a hot shot from the top rope. Samu tagged in. Falling headbutt to Jones. Another headbutt and Afa tagged back in. He hits a diving headbutt to Jones and gets the pin.
-Lord Alfred Hayes interviews Arnold Skaaland and Bob Backlund back in the dressing room area. Skaaland is applying ice to Backlund's back. Backlund appearing very injured. Skaaland says Backlund was a tremendous champion. He went into the match injured and they advised him not to go into the ring, but he didn't want to let the fans down because that's the champion he is. He had to go in there and prove himself. Skaaland says he kept watching him and he knew he was hurt. He's the type of guy who would never give up. Once the Iron Sheik got the camel clutch on him, he knew Bobby was hurt but would never quit. But he didn't want him to get hurt worse than he was so that's why he threw in the towel. It hurt him worse than anything. Hayes says they applaud the courage of Backlund, but maybe it was a little fool hearty to risk him at that stage. Jesus, Alfred, read the room, man. Hayes asks Skaaland if he thinks the new champion is a worthy champion. Skaaland says anybody that wins the title is a worthy champion, but he thinks Backlund was a greater champion. He was a greater champion by going in the ring and not letting the people down. He wanted to show them what kind of champion he was. Hayes asks what is the extent of Backlund's injuries? Skaaland says they don't know yet, they had the doctors looking at him, they can't tell for a while yet. They have the ice on him until the swelling goes down. Hayes asks Backlund how he feels and at first he appears to be in too much pain, but finally says that he feels like he let everybody down. He wanted to fight for his country. He doesn't even want to go home, because he feels like he let everybody down. Both Skaaland and Hayes try to comfort him.
-Ivan Koloff vs. Tito Santana: The fans start right away saying Russia sucks. This is Koloff's last match in the WWF as he would go to Mid-Atlantic and debut there the next week. Koloff goes out to the apron to yell at the fans. They circle each other. Lock up and go to the ropes. Koloff pulls Santana's hair, so Santana gets Koloff up against the ropes and threatens to punch him and the crowd wants him to. Another lock up and Koloff with a side headlock. Santana counters into a takeover. Both back to their feet and both complaining to the referee that the other is cheating. They are both wary of locking up with the other. They do finally lock up and Santana with a waist lock, but Koloff gets to the ropes. Another lock up and Koloff with a standing arm bar. Santana pushing Koloff away by the face to try to get out of the hold. Koloff with a takedown. Santana pushes him off with his legs. They circle each other again. Another lock up and Koloff with a full nelson. Santana indicates to the referee that Koloff is pulling his hair, but of course Koloff denies it when asked. Santana reverses the hold. Koloff gets to the ropes. Santana runs him into the top turnbuckle before letting go. They lock up again and Koloff with a side headlock. Santana forces Koloff back to the ground. He gets a couple of two counts, but can't get the pin. Koloff with a head scissors to get out of the move and both men back to their feet. They circle each other. Koloff spits towards Santana and tells him to come on. Another lock up and Santana with a side headlock. Santana cranks on the hold and when he lets go, Koloff does his best Ric Flair impersonation and falls face first to the mat. Santana kicks him as he is trying to get up. He then punches Koloff several times in the head. Koloff comes back with kicks and knee lifts to Santana. He covers Santana and gets a two count. He hits Santana with another knee and then runs him into a turnbuckle. Koloff then chokes Santana on the second rope, but stops right before the 5 count. Koloff grabs Santana and clotheslines him with the top rope. He follows that up with an Irish whip and a back elbow. He covers Santana, but only gets a two count. Back and forth in the middle of the ring. Santana with a knee to the forehead to knock Koloff down. Santana with a side headlock takeover. Koloff with a handful of tights where the referee can't see him to turn Santana over, but Santana keeps the hold on and goes right back where he was. The same thing happens again and Santana complains to the referee. Koloff trying to power out of the hold while avoiding getting pinned. Koloff back to his feet, but Santana still has the side headlock on. Koloff gets a belly to back suplex on to break the hold. Koloff goes to drop an elbow, but Santana moves out of the way. Santana with a single leg takedown and goes right back to the side headlock. Santana cranking the hold on as Koloff trying to get out. Koloff gets back to his feet and drives Santana into the corner. Koloff with a heavy blow to the midsection and follows it up with a double ax handle to knock Santana to the ground. Koloff with punches and kicks to Santana. He Irish whips Santana and kicks him in the stomach again and Santana is hurting. Koloff then grabs Santana's head while he is down on the ground. Santana back to his feet and Koloff kicking him again. Koloff follows that up with an atomic drop. He gets a two count. Koloff with a backbreaker and another cover. He gets a two count and Gorilla Monsoon says it's because he didn't hook the leg and Monsoon knows more about covers than a tribute band. Koloff kicks Santana in the back and then applies the bear hug. Santana fighting trying not to pass out. Santana with elbows to the head to break the hold temporarily. Koloff back to the bear hug and the referee is checking Santana's arm. It doesn't fall the third time. Santana with a double head clap to break the hold. Koloff comes back and Santana catches him with some big right hands to knock Koloff down. Koloff kicks Santana away, so Santana runs Koloff into a corner turnbuckle. Koloff reverses a corner whip, but Santana moves on the charge and Koloff hits the top turnbuckle head first. Santana starts to work the knee of Koloff over by dropping the full force of his body weight on it. Koloff kicks Santana off, but he is visibly hurt as he gets back up. Santana with an Irish whip and a backdrop. He follows it up with a splash, but Koloff gets his good knee up at the last second. Koloff with an Irish whip, misses a clothesline attempt, and Santana comes back with a flying forearm and gets the pin and the crowd goes crazy. So long, Uncle Ivan, tell Nikita hello for me.
-Iron Mike Sharpe and Butcher Vachon vs. The Invaders I and II: Invader 2 and Sharpe start. They lock up and Sharpe with a push off. Another lock up and a push off. They go to lock up again and Invader 2 with a go behind into a full nelson. Sharpe powers his way out of the full nelson. They go for another lock up and Sharpe with a big forearm to Invader 2. He then runs Invader 2 into a corner turnbuckle. Sharpe then hits several right hands to Invader 2 in the corner. Invader 2 reverses a corner whip and then hits a monkey flip. He follows that up with an arm drag. Another arm drag and a wrist lock and Invader 1 tagged in. He picks the wrist lock up and twists it several times and then tags Invader 2 back in. They do this several times. Invader 2 in and Sharpe with an arm drag to try to get out of the move, but Invader 2 holds on to the move. Sharpe gets back to his feet. Invader 1 tagged in. Sharpe with a side headlock. Invader 1 gets to the ropes. Back and forth in the middle of the ring. Invader 1 with an arm bar. Invader 2 tagged in. He works the arm, but Sharpe with a big forearm shot to break the hold. Vachon tagged in. Vachon attacking Invader 2 with kicks while invader 2 was still down on the ground. He follows it up with a double stomp to Vachon. Sharpe comes in and Invader 1 tagged in but the referee didn't see it so he won't allow it because he was trying to get Sharpe out. Sharpe and Vachon change places and the Invaders try to tag again and the referee has lost control of this one. Vachon and Sharpe change places again and Invader 1 finally tagged in. Invader 1 with a corner whip, an Irish whip, and a backdrop. Invader 2 tagged in and Invader 1 hip locks him onto Vachon to get the pin.
-Gorilla Monsoon and Pat Patterson recap the night before signing off from MSG.

-Final Thoughts: Capitol night in the history of the WWF/WWE. The Backlund to Sheik title change sets up the switch to Hulk Hogan and Hulkamania the next month and the rest is history. This is a piece of history that has to be seen.