I talk about Tuesday Night Titans as a whole in Year in Review – WWF in 1984. I talk more in-depth about it in Year in Review – WWF Tuesday Night Titans (1984), and even more in Year in Review – WWF in 1985.
This post is an addition to all that, with things that spoke to me from each Tuesday Night Titans in 1985.
As 1985 goes on, as with any WWF TV, TNT begins stretching for time. Less character defining sketches, more crowd interaction. The WWF was throwing a lot at the wall at this point, so while you get some amazing things like Hogan and Piper and Savage and Heenan, you also get stuff like the B. Brian Blair’s children’s wrestling academy, Johnny Rodz couch interviews, an awkward introduction of The British Bulldogs, and way too much time spent on The Hillbillies.
January through March 1985 features some incredible episodes of TV in the lead-up to the first WrestleMania, but since there aren’t many big shows they are building to for the rest of the year outside of maybe MSG or The Wrestling Classic, TNT becomes more about further establishing characters that maybe don’t always deserve that focus.
Still, since it’s the WWF in 1985 at least every show has at one completely fascinating thing pop up. Classic characters are introduced and classic angles are aired along with more follow-up and context than usually referenced: Andre the Giant’s haircut, Orndorff firing Heenan, George Steele’s shock treatment. The characters who became the legends that are Rowdy Roddy Piper and Macho Man Randy Savage are on their first big runs, while Vince McMahon is still just dicking around in his own little world before he got so busy that he could not host a weekly talk show.
For full matchlists of TNT, check out the WWF 1980 WWE Network matchlists page.
Tuesday Night Titans #18 (1/4/85)
The one with the return to TNT of “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and the kick-off for WrestleMania.
This was the first episode of Tuesday Night Titans aired on a Friday Night (as new show Prime Time Wrestling got the Tuesday slot). It would inexplicably stay that way throughout the year. They were trying out new things with TNT, including a house band (Tony D & The TNT Band) dressed in Boy Scout-colored WWF polos hats. Vince puts them over with a hearty “hot damn!” after their first performance. Things feel big and still a little goofy.
TNT kicks 1985 off with all kinds of stuff – Hillbilly Jim and Nikolai Volkoff pushes, as well as the BIG PUSH for WrestleMania. It really began the last week of 1984 as they shot a big angle (airs on TNT #22) at MSG with Lou Albano (now a babyface cause he’s starting to do charity work for MS with Cyndi Lauper) presenting Lauper an award, only for Roddy Piper to interrupt and smash the award over Albano. Lauper lunged at Piper, who KICKED Lauper off of him, leading to HULK HOGAN making the save. And now MR. T’S ABOUT TO SHOW UP.
Anyways, Hillbilly Jim was brought in in 1984 under the name “Big Jim” – a local fan who’d watch matches, who had no idea how to rassle – that is until Hulk Hogan took him on as a project. So this TNT has a crazy stupid fun skit with Hulk Hogan training Big Jim, complete with Jim sucking down egg yokes and Hogan OUTRAGED over his demand for pancakes and grits. Hogan is such an aggressive trainer and just a little bit condescending, but he’s so HYPED that you buy in. This thing also features footage of Jim trying to awkwardly run the ropes.
NIKOLAI VOLKOFF gets some serious love as we head into 1985, as the singing of the Russian National Anthem has begun as a gimmick and he’s positioned as a strong upper midcarder who’s about to be teaming with Iron Sheik and acting as Hulk Hogan’s house show fodder. The whole act is completely outdated but really great. The most amazing part might be rich fucker Freddie Blassie turning on America and rocking the sequin shirt and powder blue pants that go up to his nipples.
Volkoff squashes Athens Apollo on this TNT and it’s all very good TV stuff – Fink’s annoyed tone as he says Volkoff has requested to sing, the boos over the Anthem, and then just a basic straightforward squash. Apollo is all shlubby so nobody really wants to cheer for him. Volkoff has trouble lifting him a couple times but it’s more fun that way – a snake eyes misses the ropes, and Volkoff goes for the press slam backbreaker and Apollo doesn’t go up, so he just grabs him by the ass crack and brings him down and it’s all the more impressive.
Also on this show: Volkoff, wearing a red pin-striped suit, a mustard yellow shirt, and Russian hat – sings with the TNT Band, then yells at them.
The build towards Mania begins as during the Volkoff and Blassie sit-down Vince raises an eyebrow and utters, “I wonder what would have happened however had that been actually Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham in the ring to face you and the Iron Sheik” after footage of the U.S. Express circling the ring during an Anthem performance is aired.
This show is all about really kicking off the main event build for WrestleMania. The MSG angle with Piper and Lauper and Albano and Hogan is classic stuff. The COUP Vince got on this whole thing – Wendi Richter appears at a Lauper concert and gets a big pop (Lauper says she’s a wrestling manager now!), and then they run this massive angle at MSG with Piper basically assaulting Lauper, and it all makes Channel 4 news… this thing had the New York territory firing on all cylinders.
Captain Lou kicks off 1985 as a full-on babyface, appearing on TNT all cleaned up in a suit like he just came from a Friar’s Club roast. He puts over Cyndi Lauper and their MS chairty and says Hulk Hogan helped him see the light. Plus, Piper called Lauper a broad and Albano is NOT HAVING IT. He cuts a GREAT promo that seems completely weird after seeing him be a sleazeball all last year but he totally leans into it and you are forced to buy in.
We get highlights of a RAUCOUS Roddy Piper vs. Tonga Kid match. Piper is SUCH a great seller – he misses a chairshot in the corner and flails around, goes flying off a punch. He gets smashed with a chair and the crowd is UNGLUED. Tonga Kid looks like he’s ready to take Hogan’s spot, for goddsakes! Awesome stuff.
The Piper interview on this show is incredible. Piper is one of my all-time favorites, and while he was on another level as a promo in the early 80s… this was Piper on the biggest stage knowing he is responsible for a build to this big event his boss is building to. And he is just on FIRE. He enters the TNT set decked in a red dinner jacket, gold watch, and his KILT. He is such a DICK – just glares as he enters the set, then begins an amazing stream of consciousness promo – asks Alfred how his face is (Piper was banned from TNT up until now for slapping him), accuses Albano of buying a house with the MS charity money, asks Vince about his son, references MASTURBATION (which causes Vince to throw his pencil and cut to tape). Piper is just RANTING and Vince can’t control it and he has to both love and despise it. Piper says he’s here cleaning up the scum of the earth – his theory is that rockers are degenerating society and ruining our children, and only he can fix it. Vince brings up him attacking Lauper and he drops this line: “If a woman hits me… I hit them back!”
Captain Lou then confronts Piper and Piper HITS Albano, leading Albano to profusely apologize to Vince as the show closes: “LOOK OUT, RODDY PIPER. LOOK OUT. I’M SORRY, VINCE. THIS IS NOT THE END, VINNY. VINCE, I’M SORRY!”
Tuesday Night Titans #19 (1/18/85)
The one with CAPTAIN LOU.
This is a light show… Lou has a promo and The Hulkster trains with Hillbilly Jim, otherwise the focus is on uh Sky Low Low and The Executioner.
Hulk Hogan – in a salmon tanktop and weightlifting belt – training Hillbilly Jim with Hogan’s theme dubbed over it is the silliest stuff. He tells Jim he snuck some special raw eggs into Jim’s shake to make him twice as powerful, which I assume were just straight-up steroids.
Sky Low Low, who Vince calls the greatest midget wrestler of all time, gets a feature (and by feature I mean a guy got a TNT segment, which usually included a sit-down interview on the couch with Vince and Alfred, a squash or a clip of a match, and maybe a sketch or something.
Low Low’s feature includes footage of Sky getting a pie to the face at Butcher Vachon’s wedding which causes Vince to just CACKLE. There’s a midget tag here with Sky and Little Brutus vs. Frenchy Lamont & Little Joey, which is classic midget bullshit but a bit more serious. They build to a hot tag that actually gets over. Sky desperately running around as he tries to come back is actually tremendous.
The Executioner interview is weirdly fascinating – love his mask and collared shirt over a sweater attire. Vince and Alfred discuss the psychological advantages that come with wearing a mask. “It’s none of your business, it’s nobody’s business why I wear a mask.” They show him in a match with Tito Santana, which actually ended up the opener to Mania, and features a LENGTHY headlock by Tito. Then there’s some teases that The Executioner who sits on the couch on TNT isn’t even really the real Executioner, and I think that’s true. I dunno. The plot was never followed up on.
Albano does more good promo work to cap off the show. Vince teases a haircut for next week, and he brushes Alfred’s chin as the credits roll.
Tuesday Night Titans #20 (1/25/85)
The one with Bobby “The Brain” Heenan giving a haircut. There is a LOT going on here – the Andre the Giant haircut angle and Jesse “The Body” Ventura becoming a commentator are two pillars of the WWF in the 1980s, and are featured here. There’s more on the Andre angle next week, but they tease it with clips here. This thing got Heenan over, setup Studd vs. Andre, and you could argue it led into King Kong Bundy’s ascent and the main event of WrestleMania 2, even if Bundy wasn’t initially involved.
There’s a classic Heenan interview (you’ll see that term a lot here) about the aftermath of Big John Studd and Ken Patera giving Andre the Giant a haircut. This was a major angle in 1984. It’s always interesting seeing an angle with as much legend as this one play out live, complete with the initial TV presentation and the post-angle interviews. The great thing about Heenan at this point (and most points) was that he could be used for laughs, whether as a coward or as a guy with good one-liners, but he also knew how to get serious and mean – and he had the muscle behind him to back it up. As he says here on Andre when Vince mentions they haven’t put the Giant out for good, “It’s obvious now we’re gonna have to hurt the man. Period.”
Heenan teases that he won’t just throw his boys Big John Studd and Ken Patera in any match with Andre – the match needs some stipulations (maybe who can bodyslam the other guy first and Andre’s retirement?) and must have the right place, right time, and right money (maybe at WrestleMania for $15,000?).
The big thing on this TNT is a LONG segment where Heenan just straight-up gives a bearded crew guy a haircut in the studio. It is a completely ridiculous and way too long but what a thing. Studd and Patera just sloppily clip at the guys’ head (“This is only my second haircut, man” says Studd), they CUT HIS EYEBROWS, and then they spray water and pour shampoo all over him as Vince flips out with disgust and pure childlike enjoyment.
We have a stupid fun “From the Hills of Kentucky” segment where Hillbilly Jim hangs with his old granny and it’s all folsky and shit. He elbow drops a mattress and Al Hayes theorizes that he might be the King of the Hillbillies. There will be more Granny Kim later.
Butcher Vachon is interviewed as a follow-up to his wedding and Vince is already pushing marital issues like a month later – he hath no faith.
Jesse “The Body” Ventura sits on the couch and footage is shown of him squashing the eventual Brooklyn Brawler, along with introduction of him as the new co-host of Prime Time Wrestling with Jack Reynolds. The wild suits and hats are on full display. Reynolds would eventually be replaced by Gorilla, who would go on to be a classic pair with Jesse throughout the year on commentary. Jesse also was dabbing with music at this point, with his band Mr. V and The Body Rules (WHAT A NAME). Ventura accuses Hayes of having herpes and Hayes says: “You really are a nasty character, aren’t you?” Welcome, Jesse – we look forward to hearing from you.
Tuesday Night Titans #21 (2/1/85)
The one with the Andre the Giant haircut. THIS is the show with the full angle of Andre getting his haircut and it’s classic old dirty 80s wrestling stuff – must-watch.
Fink has already got the timeless ring announcer vibe going, giving the Andre & SD Jones vs. Ken Patera & Big John Studd an intro. Vince and Bruno, a wild pair, are on commentary. Patera is rocking a jacket Dalton Castle would enjoy wearing. Andre comes out to the ring with a wide smile on his face as the crowd roars their approval. They have themselves a classic basic crowd-pleasing match. S.D. and Patera run the ropes, S.D. and Andre work an armbar, S.D. gets beat up. Vince sells a bump by him to the outside HUGE. Andre eventually tries the butt bump in the corner, but Patera puts his knee up and big Andre sells like he’s been shot. Patera and Studd hammer on Andre, then double suplex him. Patera drops a knee off the second turnbuckle and the ref DQ’s them. They continue to work over Andre, and eventually a scissors comes out. People are screaming. They’re throwing shit in the ring. Heenan stomps on S.D. to keep him out. Vince is hard-selling on commentary, shooting a god damn ANGLE: “This is humiliation. This is sheer humiliation … Studd and Patera rape the dignity of Andre the Giant.” Patera and Studd hold up Andre’s hair with glee as more trash is shown at them. I mean this is special stuff, folks.
Bobby Heenan follows up with a sit-down interview and it is amazing – gloating, swaggering Heenan is a treasure. The Heenan Family is riding high with Big John Studd, Ken Patera and Paul Orndorff, and he just humiliated Andre the freaking Giant. “That’s life – what’re you gonna do? That’s just the way things are.”
I know wrestling was different and every major star or feud didn’t get focus on the first WrestleMania, but it is still so weird to me Patera wasn’t on the show.
Magnificent Muraco and Mr. Fuji are featured on this show too, with Muraco getting renewed focus as Fuji has taken him on and the beach bum character is being played up. They air footage of him surfing to a fake version of Surfin’ USA. Mr. Fuji meanwhile is incredible, transitioning from old-style Japanese tights wrestler to this shit-eating grinning evil goon in a bell hat and tuxedo. He just smiles along as Vince accuses he and Murao of cheating and it is so wonderful. Vince meanwhile does a pretty great job of selling his fear as Fuji talks of Muraco.
Muraco’s squash here vs. Mario Mancini is pretty great – Muraco is such a cocky shit, all pleased with himself. He’s an interesting wrestler… might come off as sloppy as there’s no finnese to anything and a lot of stuff doesn’t hit cleanly – but he’s so confident and just REAL, and it’s really unique and cool to watch. Hopefully he didn’t actually hurt a lot of guys. He finishes Mancini with a tombstone piledriver, just a year after a young Mark Calaway had debuted in World Class as the masked Texas Red.
Hillbilly Jim’s Granny Kim is formally introduced and it is completely ridiculous. There’s god damn hay and a tire swing just set up in the TV studio. Vince and Alfred Hayes are just hanging out in this fake kitchen, and Hayes says Kim’s dogs stink. I liked it, though I can’t imagine any normal human being enjoying this. Maybe I’m wrong.
Hillbilly Jim’s debut match vs. Terry Gibbs is on this show too. It’s a fine introduction – Jim didn’t become some ring warrior but he was a famous part of peak WWF, and the introduction of him as this smarter-than-average hillbilly who learns to use his raw power to rassle under the tutelage of HULK HOGAN is pretty awesome. Plus he does a cartwheel in the match and Vince is all HA HAAAA!!!
Tuesday Night Titans #22 (2/15/85)
The one with Rowdy Roddy Piper kicking Cyndi Lauper and Hogan/Piper build. Oh BOY. This is the hard sell for Monday night’s War to Settle the Score match between Hulk Hogan and Roddy Piper.
Mania ended up weaving so many stories together – Piper vs. Snuka, Piper vs. Hogan, Piper vs. Lauper, Albano, Bob as Piper’s bodyguard, Hogan as ace. But Hogan vs. Piper was THE wrestling feud in early 1985, and was THE big time marquee match to put on MTV. This feud and big time marquee match is what this show is all bout.
The angle to arguably kick-off the Mania main event feud is aired here. Cyndi Lauper, Hulk Hogan, Wendi Richter, David Wolff and JACK TUNNEY are in the ring at MSG. Captain Lou’s there. Piper crashes the party and smashes the award over Albano, leading to Lauper grabbing Piper’s leg and Piper KICKING her away, then bodyslamming Wolff. This was the MSG show right before Hogan/Piper, also at MSG – what a return match!
This episode might feature the best example of just how ON Hogan and Piper were headed into Mania. There’s a Piper/Orton sit-down interview, a couple other interviews with Hogan and Piper, and all these folks could sell an angle maaaan. Piper is waving his dick around and cutting great promos and dropping all the great lines: “I put the boots to Cyndi Lauper, crippled Dave Wolff, scared Dick Clark to death – he’ll never be the same!”, Why should I be fighting the Hulk? I know I’m better than him, I know I can beat him – I’ve got nothing to prove!”, “When I win the title, you send your girlfriend over too! Cuz ya see you’re talkin’ to a stallion!”
Hogan meanwhile is PISSED at Piper besmirching the WWF’s big shot at mainstream acceptance. He cuts a fired up promo where he says Piper didn’t just turn on the Rock n’ Wrestling Connection, he turned on multiple sclerosis and all the help Lauper and Albano have been doing for it – oh my WORD.
As the show continues, Piper says something stinks and is informed by Bob that Jimmy Snuka and David Wolff are in the building and leave. CAPTAIN LOU then joins the show for a sit-down interview, and cuts a passionate promo on needing Hulk to save the WWF, rock n’ roll, and I guess multiple sclerosis, and eradicate Piper: “Please, Hulk Hogan, do it for the Cap’n!”
Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka also shows up, steaming mad about Piper. There’s a match too, with Snuka & Tonga Kid vs. Piper & Orton, that is HOT. A Snuka squash also airs, with Snuka rocking the leopard-print body suit and Angelo Mosca loving the Superfly Splash.
David Wolff also joins later wearing ridiculous sunglasses and informs Vince McMahon that his industry is very distressed by what happened.
Captain Lou dances on stage as the credits roll.
Tuesday Night Titans #23 (2/22/85)
The one with The U.S. Express winning the Tag Titles and Granny Kim.
On the Road to WrestleMania, ya still had to push your Tag Team Titles, and this match did that.
The U.S. Express get the HARD SELL, coming out to the studio set and having a bunch of girls run out and mob them as they enter, leading to Windham’s shirt being torn. Vince drops an “OOOH BABY!” as they grab Rotundo’s shirt. They’re heart throbs, you see! Then the girls sit on the floor, staring into their eyes as they speak.
This show also has the U.S. Express vs. Adonis/Murdoch title switch, joined in progress. It seems fun. Rotundo, showing off the genes that were passed on to Bray and Bo in his young years, takes the heat while Windham works the corner like a nut. Rotundo does a great job selling, looking all exhausted and sweaty. Adonis & Murdoch as per usual sell their heads off on a great hot tag by Barry. A big melee leads to Adonis being posted and Windham leaping over Murdoch (who had Rotundo in a nerve hold) with a sunset flip for the win. Windham & Rotundo end the long Adonis & Murdoch title reign, and Adonis & Murdoch comes to close – only Adonis would re-appear later in the year.
It was during my rewatch of this TNT that WWE chose to re-dub the TNT intro music, which is a bummer. But eventually, after watching all TNT’s, it just ran together and began to be THE theme for TNT for me. I suppose that is the power of the WWE Universe.
The Hillbillies get some focus here. It still cracks me up that in the run-up to the mythic WrestleMania, Vince McMahon saw it fit to spend a bunch of time on Hillbilly Jim and his extended family.
Vince and Alfred visit Granny Kim at her home inside the TNT studio complete with barn and kitchen sets. The attention to detail on Granny Kim’s kitchen is kind of incredible – I wonder what company they were using for this stuff or if the staff they already had knew how to perfectly re-create a hillbilly’s kitchen. The barn set features a goat that scares Alfred and a piglet that Vince makes Alfred hold.
Swede Hanson also stops by as a Hillbilly releative, though they show footage of a match where he’s working heel vs. S.D. Jones. They actually spend more time on the post-match announcing than the actual match – I think somebody just thought the Maple Leaf ring announcer’s accent was funny.
Hulk Hogan continues to train Hillbilly Jim, which includes a funny clip of Jim trying to work his way of a hammerlock. Hogan then gives Jim his BOOTS, which is so over-the-top and wonderful. Love that they’re treating Hogan as if he’s a legend like a year into his run.
Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart makes his WWE Network debut on this show, brought in by Mr. Fuji. Very interesting seeing Neidhart at 29-years-old and still figuring it out – he’s almost going for a Piper accent with his promos, and the famous laugh is more… menacing.
Neidhart has a fun enough squash vs. Jose Luis Rivera. He comes out in a SWEATER, then takes it off to reveal his hairy barrel chest and beer belly. He’s ROUGH with Rivera – attacks him at the bell, big bodyslam, just chucks him to the floor. Rivera gets a pop for ducking a clothesline and hitting a dropkick, but runs into a boot in the corner and goes down to a running powerslam.
“Also, Salvatore Bellomo will be with us next week with a very special presentation… he’s been working on a boat for some time and I think he has it just about complete.”
Tuesday Night Titans #24 (3/1/85)
The one with “Dr. D” David Schultz pulling out a gun.
Yes.
This TNT is brought to you by the “only jeans that shrink to fit you and you alone – Levi’s Button Fly 501 Blues!” … “Join Vince and his guests, David Schultz, Rita Marie, Iron Sheik, Nikolai Volkoff, Salvatore Bellomo and BOAT!”
Dr. D had been gone from the WWF for a couple weeks in real life, but these things were taped in advance. And boy did he make an impact right before he left – just a couple months before WrestleMania no less!
Schultz gets a feature on this show, with a sit-down interview and match and uh something else. During the interview, Vince actually brings up the John Stossel incident, even though wrestling lore says that was indeed what Dr. D got fired for. I am still convinced the Stossel thing was a hook by Vince for Mania – a big publicity student to get some buzz headed into the big show, then he fires the guy as collateral damage.
Dr. D squashes Steve Lombardi and it’s pretty sweet – he slams him against the post on the outside, bodyslams him on a table, and nails a big elbow for the finish.
At the end of the interview Dr. D asks Vince “You don’t like me, do ya?” and Vince replies “I can’t say you’re one of my favorite people, no.” Then he just casually PULLS OUT A GUN and it gets very, very quiet, though Schultz keeps droning on. Vince’s eyes widen and Hayes doesn’t know whether or not to move. And they go to COMMERCIAL.
THEN Dr. D shows Vince and Alfred around his gun room and it’s all fun and games until Dr. D points a shotgun in Vince and Alfred’s direction, claiming it’s not loaded until it actually GOES OFF. Vince SNAPS, hollering “YOU STUPID IDIOT” and screaming at him until Schultz grabs another big gun and lifts it toward him and he immediately cowers and pleads, “Hey, wait a minute, alright – just cool it.” Incredible television.
Iron Sheik, Nikolai Volkoff and “Classy” Freddie Blassie join the show, building up a feud with the U.S. Express, who had taken the AMERICA FOREVER mantle from Sgt. Slaughter by this point. Volkoff crushes an apple with his hand on the couch to make “Russian Apple Juice,” Sheik rants on American diets, and Blassie is decked out in his purple jacket and sequined white pants. It is kind of incredible.
Sheik & Volkoff vs. S.D. Jones & Quickdraw Rick McGraw is a pretty basic-ass match that is described as something that could be a “main event anywhere in North America, Jack.” Sheik talks shit to commentator Angelo Mosca and drops McGraw on his head with a backdrop suplex. The post-match is pretty special, as Mosca goes after Sheik and the crowd LOSES THEIR SHIT. Fired up old man Angelo Mosca in a tux wrecking Sheik is THE BEST.
And then they don’t mention Mosca at all – just keep building the Express match.
This show also has the much hyped First Lady Referee, who sits down on the couch after being introduced as “a most unusual lady.” The story with her, because everyone’s got a story to tell, is that her brother who wanted to be a wrestler died, so she became a referee.
The match footage (Blackjack Mulligan vs. Moondog Spot, eh) is interesting to watch, just cause they go all hard sell on it and it’s Fink in MSG: “for the first time in WWF history and for that matter MSG history, sanctioned by the New York State Athletic Commission, for this upcoming match up, for the first time ever: a lady referee.” The crowd is SPLIT. Her patting down each guy gets a pop. Mulligan and Moondog actually have a solid match, with Spot bumping and selling like a pro, and the crowd murmuring any time this crazy lady ref backed up Mulligan.
Young Sal Bellomo gets another feature, as young Vince McMahon seems just downright fascinated with his model ships made out of WWF magazine clippings. To be honest it is legitimately impressive but in the wild world of WWF just the weirdest thing to fixate on. He works Johnny Rodz at MSG with his parents sitting in the crowd and they have a solid match that results in a
Bellomo victory. He looks super happy as they cut to his parents who look completely unimpressed.
The model ship spins around as Lord Alfred Hayes utters, “God bless America” – and the credits roll.
Tuesday Night Titans #25 (3/8/85)
The one with the MANIA HYPE. At only an hour-long now and in full swing with the major show hype train, these shows fly by and are super fun. It slows down after Mania, but January through March is a great time for TNT.
The WrestleMania main event, The IC Title match, and the Women’s Title match all get some love here.
PIPER. ORNDORFF. COWBOY BOB. They are all here and they are MEAN and they are angry and they are reacting to what just went down at Madison Square Garden with Hulk Hogan, Cyndi Lauper and Mr. T. Orton is now officially rocking the cast and is the established heater, while Piper is such a cocky shit and Orndorff is this gruff mean guy and it is just so beautiful. Vince references a card at MSG, but doesn’t go full WrestleMania. Because it’s 1985, Piper of course has to say about Mr. T, “He’s black, he’s greasy, and I don’t like him.” He was a bad guy!
Piper, Orndorff, Bob and Vince also meet with Sara the Soothsayer, who predicts the Mania main event and seems to legitimately impress Piper with her ability to lay out a match.
The Hulk Hogan vs. Rowdy Roddy Piper match for the WWF World Heavyweight Title from War to Settle the Score, which aired on MTV, is shown here in full. And it is AWESOME, and leads to an absolutely MASSIVE angle. Hogan and Piper are #OVER and they are brawling and throwing punches like animals and Piper is SUCH a shit-talking cheating asshole, but also flails all around when The Hulkster gets a hand on him. And DANNY DEVITO is in the crowd! It is beautiful American professional wrestling.
Then Cowboy Bob Orton (who’s wearing the cast) interferes, but Hogan drops his arm on the turnbuckle and goes after Piper and the crowd goes ape. “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff runs out to “take Ace’s place” as Piper’s backup, and then the ref gets hit! Piper and Orndorff go to work on Hogan until CYNDI LAUPER gets on the apron, hooting and hollering at them. And they SURROUND HER. And then MR. T RUNS OUT!!!! But Piper attacks him from behind and he and Orndorff beatdown T until Hogan HULKS UP. And Mr. T TAKES OFF HIS JACKET. And the crowd is absolutely FLIPPING THE FUCK OUT. Piper and Orndorff run away, then get on the apron as cops and security pull everybody apart. HUGE stuff. So well executed.
TNT also airs Hogan and Mr. T doing one of their classic training segments, this time from Venice Beach. Hogan and Mr. T play their parts – Hogan wants to train, Mr. T just wants to eat tacos. Mean Gene (rocking a tuxedo top and swim trunks bottom) interviews them both with a big crowd behind them that seems half interested and half just amused at this bullshit. Gene actually calls the MSG show WrestleMania, so we are off to the races.
Junkyard Dog has a feature and Vince mentions him having an opportunity against Greg “The Hammer” Valentine at MSG, then the IC Champ. JYD’s squash vs. Rusty Brooks is wonderful because Rusty is a fatass in a Green Power Ranger singlet and it is incredible. He falls out of the ring all dazed post-match and Vince cracks up. JYD does a sweet quick promo on Valentine – it is ON.
The show ends with Wendi Richter and Leilani Kai battling it out at MSG for the WWF Women’s Title – it is pretty sloppy and bad, but also it is background noise for MOOLAH CHOKING CYNDI LAUPER! Moolah sits on the couch and says that she isn’t a girl who wants to have fun – SHE WANTS THE MONEY.
The show ends with Vince SNORING during Lord Alfred Hayes’ long-winded trivia contest instructions. This week’s question: What prominent wrestler sampled a hot dog on TNT? Vince’s response, completely bewildered: Who came up with that question?
Tuesday Night Titans #26 (3/15/85)
The one with MORE MANIA HYPE. Andre/Studd, Richter/Kai, and the WWF Tag Team Titles!
It was on this show that I realized Vince McMahon feels BUSY. He becomes less a goofball living out Johnny Carson fantasies and more a BOSS with shit to DO. He has PURPOSE.
TNT meanwhile is up to two sponsors: Levi’s Jeans and Castrol Oil.
Bobby Heenan, Big John Studd and Ken Patera are swaggering all around on this show, carrying around a bag with Andre the Giant’s hair. There’s a Piper Pit with Heenan, Studd and Patera where sniveling dipshit Heenan proposes $15,000 Body Slam Challenge, but you just know he doesn’t actually have that money – and Heenan flips out when Piper says they will bring it next week. This show also has the Studd go-home promo on Andre, which is pretty great – “I’M THE GIANT.”
We also check in with Mean Gene Okerlund in full tuxedo, interrupting a training session in a boxing gym with Hulk Hogan and Mr. A totally goofy, wild segment. Mr. T KO’s a guy who takes a flat back bump, and Hogan loses it: “This is the 11th guy this week!” “I told you about the combat zone, but I didn’t know this was guerilla warfare!” Hogan and Mr. T in their prime, baby.
Wendi Richter sits on the couch and offers blazing hot shots at Fabulous Moolah: “They couldn’t even put her face on a can of dog food to sell it and she knows it.”
Nikolai Volkoff & Iron Sheik battle the U.S. Express with no tag titles on the line and it is kind of awesome. You got Nikolai singing the Anthem, U.S. Express being good ol’ boys tearing off dem jackets, classic good guy/bad guy rope-running bullshit. An old lady cheers in the crowd. A fun, simple, effective pro wrestling brawl.
Meanwhile, on the TNT set, Iron Sheik prays to Muhammad, then tears his shirt off and has Volkoff do the same and they FLEX as Blassie screams “IRAN #1! RUSSIA #1!” and then they CHOP EACH OTHER AND FLEX AND YELL. IT IS INCREDIBLE.
The show ends with Alfred over-explaining the Great Wrestling Trivia contest and Vince calling it a scam.
Tuesday Night Titans #27 (3/22/85)
The one TWO WEEKS FROM MANIA. Andre vs. Studd, Jimmy Hart and Greg Valentine, and the MAIN EVENT.
A very cool Andre the Giant vs. Ken Patera match opens this show. Andre was a man slowing down but it could still be worked around and Patera was a master – his look of disappointment and fear at having to face Andre, falling on his ass after taking a chop, bumping over the top off an atomic drop. He lays in some credible offense before the ref ends the match in a DQ after the ref gets bumped. Post-match is even better: Andre slams his ass into Patera and Bobby in the corner, whips Patera, and slaps Heenan who does the GREATEST wobbly sell. Heenan gets whipped and leaps over Patera and drapes over the top turnbuckle… AND THEN then Patera gets whipped into Heenan who goes to the floor. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO great.
Intense Andre interview as he joins the show, with Vince hard-selling the shit out of the “rape the giant’s dignity” line and goading Andre into putting up his career: “Don’t you think you should put up something?” “I don’t think so.” Vince then says there’s gonna be people who state there’s a big yellow streak down his back, so Andre gets up, grabs Vince’s tie, and pushes him down. Vince swats his coffee cup in frustration. HOOOOOO BOYYYYY!!!
After commercial Vince and Alfred announce Andre did accept the career stip because Andre really never did explicitly say it – HA!
This show features Jimmy Hart’s first appearance, replacing Captain Lou Albano as Greg “The Hammer” Valentine’s manager after Albano decided to become a nice guy and work for an MS charity and Valentine said F that. Valentine is rocking a leather jacket and sunglasses as he proudly carries the IC Title, and is asked about Junkyard Dog. Jimmy Hart meanwhile rocks checkerboard Converse All-Stars. He’s pushed as a rock n’ roll cool guy from Memphis, TN, who used to play in a band. Valentine also squashes young enhancement talent Jim Powers, in a match where someone is wearing a massive Nixon mask in the crowd.
Piper, Orndorff and Cowboy Bob stop by TNT one last time and Piper is just oozing swagger heading into Mania. Piper and Orndorff are total pieces of trash – Orndorff calls Mr. T a boy, Piper says they’re kissing each other when doing sit-ups, and Orndorff says they must be training in New York or California. Sara the Soothsayer also comes by again and gives Piper and Orndorff a peak at their Mania future, which she sees as a Piper loss. Piper loses it and smashes up the set – Godspeed, Sara the Soothsayer.
The U.S. Express have a little feature and they were right for the Tiger Beat role but oh boy could these two not speak – just a couple of knuckleheads. Rotundo in particular just comes off like a damn dumbass. They have a fun little squash against Terry Gibbs and his partner Rusty Brooks, whom I have a great fondness for due to his fat man bumping and the big sunset flip Windham needs to do to bring him down.
Classic Hulk Hogan and Mr. T stuff towards the end of this show, as we are on-location in New York City and they walk into a store and start shouting about the “hot protein” foods they want. Mr. T sports a big sweat mark on his chest and they just go to town with the weird improv. Mr. T asks twice what wheat grass is and thinks about eating it, then cautions: “We ain’t messing with that because it’s grass. You know, we don’t mess with no grass.”
The WrestleMania hype is real, as Vince McMahon runs down the top matches. He brings it home: “One of the uh, great family entertainment uh, spectrums ever presented… many stating it is the greatest uh, sports entertainment closed circuit extravaganza of all time.”
Tuesday Night Titans #28 (3/26/85)
The one BEFORE WRESTLEMANIA.
This is a very cool show indeed, as it is the go-home / hype show for the first ever WrestleMania. We’ve all seen WrestleMania, but seeing the go-home TNT is awesome. And it is Vince McMahon himself hyping it. Hogan and Mr. T vs. Piper and Orndorff was the match that all kids who got videos of wrestling at Blockbuster knew was the MAIN EVENT as kid, and here is the build-up.
I mean check out this genius at work, hyping closed circuit Mania and coming after TELEVISION:
“Many of you apparently feel that it’s [WrestleMania] gonna be shown on home TV… that is not the case, with the exception of a few cable systems that will carry it on a pay-per-view basis… you can very will be old and gray – speaking of old and gray (looks at Alfred) – before you see this on home TV… but we do invite you to see it at your local coliseum or theater which will carry it on a closed circuit television basis on the giant color screen, it’s gonna be most entertaining.”
There’s a sweet angle here with Rowdy Roddy Piper visiting the A-Team set and interviewing Mr. T, where Piper is a dick and they start brawling on set.
Clips of the Hogan & Mr. T vs. Piper and Friends feud are shown, along with a full Piper’s Pit at MSG. Piper is a master here, riling up MSG and giving the last big hard sell from him for Mania. He teases introducing the guy you all came to see… PAUL ORNDORFF, who comes out in short black shorts, blowing kisses to the crowd. It is just the BEST, despite the horrifying backne. Orndorff does that thing he was doing where he was being a racist and pantomimes being a monkey.
Mr. T enters with ALLLLL the gold and the crowd is LOVING IT. It feels HUGE. Piper cleans off the seat for Mr. T: “I know you’re not used to cleanliness, but I cleaned it for ya.” Mr. T doesn’t trust Piper though and PUSHES THE CHAIR AWAY. Piper then presents these crazy well-thought out paintings of Mr. T in various forms of distress (a sling, crutches, and hospital bed) and makes exlax jokes. Then Piper gets serious: “I want you to see what can happen to you, if on the 31st, on closed circuit, in all these theaters around the country brother, this is exactly what you could end up looking like here.” He puts on a Mr. T wig, throws trash at Mr. T, and storms off. So awesome.
Mean Gene Okerlund interviews Billy Martin and Liberace, Billy at a bar and harbor and Liberace at his piano. Martin approaches wrestling as the sideshow circus it very much is, while Liberace COMPLETELY GETS IT. He says his mother was a wrestling fan and that she liked wrestling so much she scratched away a part of her chair. “Wait til ya see what I’m gonna wear.” What a professional.
Hogan and Mr. T train one last time in New York, doing leg-interlocking sit-ups and hyping each other up. Hogan’s charisma and size made him come off like a much bigger star than big star Mr. T in these.
The long-winded Great Wrestling Trivia contest has completely devolved into a rib on Alfred and closes this show.
Tuesday Night Titans #29 (4/5/85)
The one after WrestleMania with Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff and Ricky Steamboat and Lisa Sliwa.
This was not quite RAW after Mania, as once the big show happens, TNT quickly pivots to the springtime WWE thing where things kind of calm down for a bit.
The WWF Tag Team Titles match from WrestleMania is actually shown (and it is very good), and then Volkoff, Sheik and Blassie are interviewed after their win and it is phenomenal. Volkoff is wearing an incredible red suit, while Iron Sheik is wearing an incredible yellow jacket. Sheiky absolutely goes off as he demands that Vince ask about nothing but his win, then challenges Jimmy Snuka, Bruno Sammartino, David Sammartino, and RICHIE Steamboat. This was not goofy Sheik – this was scary Sheik. I liked it.
Ricky Steamboat makes his first appearance on TNT after working the first Mania and appears to be a professional who likes to review film and thinks the WWF is the mecca of professional wrestling. He works Steve Lombardi, where he skins the cat, makes a comeback, and hits the crossbody. It’s hot.
Hillbilly Jim plays guitar and cuts a promo on Brutus Beefcake and Johnny Valiant. This was no work, brother. Guy could play.
This show also has Lisa Sliwa. And my god – the weird shit the WWF could try, and still tries to this day. Sliwa was a NY-based newswoman and model who was a was a former VP of the Guardian Angels and married to their founder. And she tried to be a pro wrestler in the mid-80s. She also shows Vince and Alfred self-defense techniques here, in a segment that sees Alfred sell her top wristlock huge and Vince take a bump. Incredible.
And somebody wins The Great Wrestling Trivia Contest!
Tuesday Night Titans #30 (4/19/85)
The one two weeks after WrestleMania with Bobby “The Brain” Heenan and The British Bulldogs.
Ironically, given the build-up to the Andre/Studd match at WrestleMania, Bobby Heenan has cut his hair post-Mania. He and Studd are interviewed and refuse to admit Studd was bodyslamed, despite Vince pointing out that over a million people saw it. “It was an optical delusion! I’m The Brain. I don’t care what a million people’s opinion is of anything.”
Mr. Fuji and Moondog Spot visit the set and it is pretty wild. Evil Japanese Man Mr. Fuji has taken on as a project this crazy person who thinks he is a dog who trains with “alligators and snakeys.” It’s a wild, weird watch. Fuji also says he put Moondog Rex in a concentration camp in the Louisiana swamp. Man, No Fucks Fuji is crazy.
The British Bulldogs get a feature! They don’t make a mark in their on-set interview, but their squash vs. Matt Borne & AJ Petruzzi is a fun showcase of what they can do. Their tag finish gets a major pop, loved Borne scrambling to get out of the setup.
Because it is Tuesday Night Titans, Vince McMahon and Lord Alfred Hayes also have High Tea (High T!) with The Bulldogs, Mr. Fuji and Moondog Spot, which is more everybody sitting around as a guy playing a stuffy English guy talks about tea etiquette with Alfred. It’s pretty boring and awkward, and ends when Moondog Spot destroys all the china.
Pat joins the show for an interview (he had refereed at Mania), and a match of his from 1984 with Cowboy Bob Orton is shown (same one from TNT #10). It’s good!
Tuesday Night Titans #31 (4/26/85) – NOT on WWE Network
The one with Paul Orndorff firing Bobby Heenan. This one actually isn’t on the WWE Network, which is weird because Orndorff firing Heenan and turning babyface was a major angle.
The show has Dr. Jerry Graham sitting down with Vince McMahon for an interview, which is interesting given that Graham was apparently McMahon’s favorite wrestler as a kid.
Orndorff and Heenan sit down with Vince and react to the finish of WrestleMania. which included not just Orndorff losing but also being helped up by Hogan and Mr. T. Heenan references a meeting he had with Piper earlier in the day and Orndorff gets hot, which gets Heenan hot, which leads to Heenan saying he made Mr. Wonderful and Mr. Wonderful standing above Heenan and FIRING HIM. Tremendous angle. Vince’s reaction afterwards is classic, completely amused over everything that is happening, while Heenan’s rant on Orndorff is EPIC and legitimately scary – such a master at work.
King Kong Bundy and Jimmy Hart get a feature as a follow-up to Bundy’s squash of JYD at Mania, and said feature sees Jimmy Hart singing a song and Bundy trying on an assortment of wigs.
Then they do a summer fashion show which includes swimsuit models, a mime routine, and Lord Alfred Hayes in a bathing suit.
Tuesday Night Titans #32 (5/3/85)
The one with JOBBERS!!! Or as Vince calls, them “unsung heroes.”
This is an absolute trip of the show, where the WWF essentially establishes enhancement talent canon. Nine enhancement guys are shown losing to established stars and are interviewed three at a time – there are rookies and veterans, heels and babyfaces. It’s pretty funny as Vince just casually interviews them on set after their losses and dances around them just being straight-up losers, and acts as if they are just on the verge of superstardom, but just can’t catch a break.
They start the show with footage of Canadian enhancement talent Bob Wayne being backdrop suplexed right on his poor head by young David Sammartino, then replay it in slow-mo. Poor David seems concerned, poor Bob Wayne seems not well. Commentary commentates that “Wayne will be feeling that one for the next 567 years.” It really is a nasty suplex that a young Kenta Kobashi might have taken some inspiration from and went, “I can do that – but on purpose.”
Steve Lombardi, Mario Mancini, and Paul Roma then join the show. Lombardi is rocking a mustache and pitches Bobby “The Brain” Heenan as his manager, and would eventually go on to become the Brooklyn Brawler (managed by Heenan!) and a host of other gimmicks. Paul Roma is SUCH a young pup and would go onto semi-wrestling fame. Mario Mancini would go onto fame as a guy seen a billion times on the WWE Network being squashed by stars. Fun facts: he was the first job guy vs. King Kong Bundy AND The Undertaker.
Vince McMahon interviewing Rusty Brooks is the weird stuff the WWE Network is made for. Rusty Brooks is this big fat jobber who just so happens to be a very confident mic worker. He calls out the ridiculousness of the jobber concept in general – why should he be wrestling a giant? Why can’t he just wrestle Jim Powers? He calls Pedro Morales a has-been and Jose Luis Rivera a never-was, and tells Rivera to speak up. A possible star just lost to time. Jim Powers and Jose Luis Rivera also sit with Rusty, and Vince marvels at Powers’ arms. Hayes analyzes all three of them and hits it on the nose: Brooks has too much confidence, Rivera not enough, and Powers definitely has a future.
Outside of ol’ Rusty, the heel jobbers section is the best: Charlie Fulton, “The Unpredictable” Johnny Rodz, and insane man “The Duke of Dorchester” Pete Doherty.
Rodz might be better known as the trainer of The Dudley Boyz, Tommy Dreamer, Tazz, and Big Cass. He has an awkward exchange with a bewildered Vince:
Rodz: Do you know who gave me the name Unpredictable?
Vince: No, I don’t have a clue, who gave you-
Rodz: Ahhh, you don’t know … you did.
Vince: …REALLY?
Rodz also has a match with blue-trunks Hulk Hogan that is pretty fun, with Hogan mat wrestling and selling an eye rake like death. There is also a clear shot of the ref telling Hogan how much time was left.
Doherty is the absolute best, a total wrestling character with electricity burning through his veins. I love that he was this jobber and he was SO ANGRY about it that it basically made him go crazy. “YOU ANNOUNCE ME AS THE DUKE OF DORCHESTER!!!!!” He puts a towel on his head and says he’s going back to the Middle East where people treat him with respect, and SPITS on the floor in disgust over how Snuka “cheated” in their match. “I am not homicidal, suicidal, or schizophrenic. I’m just as sane as he is!” Incredible stuff, what a wrestler.
In addition to ALL of this, CAFÉ LE BUMP!!!! The TNT crew has built a cafe set and all the jobbers are sitting at tables and Fink (who drops the mic by mistake) introduces Crusher Comic, a guy in a destroyer mask who is doing STRAIGHT-UP STAND UP COMEDY. What sleazy energy he has, an absolute freak show who brings out that gross 80s feel: “They should call you Mr. Predictable, because you always lose! [BOOOO] Heyyyy c’mon, I don’t need this!” “Our waitress here really works her butt off … if ya look at her, she’s been working here so long she has no butt whatsoever. Heyyyyy!!!!”
Tuesday Night Titans #33 (5/10/85)
The one with Cowboy Bob Orton’s arm.
For a retired wrestler who was mostly doing commentary, the WWF was spending a lot of time with Bruno Sammartino. He was managing David at this point, though it was clear it wasn’t working. Bruno would eventually step back in the ring to team with David and feud with Roddy Piper later in the year. On this show, Vince interviews Bruno and a David match is shown, where he works RT Reynolds. It’s pretty boring, but interesting because of three things: Bruno is on commentary, Reynolds soon became Corporal Kirshner, and Andre the Giant is standing at ringside and it is never acknowledged.
Rowdy Roddy Piper and Cowboy Bob Orton are interviewed and bring that extra special Piper energy to the show. Piper is just on another level as a manipulative pro wrestling talker here… everything is all subtle and at the same time over-the-top, just confidently powering through his lies and shit talk on Paul Orndorff (“born with abs, but no guts and no brains”). At one point he says he spent the entire evening before Mania with a prostitute. Piper also drops this line: “If I’d have went to Nam instead of Canada we might’ve won the war!”
A classic TNT segment also airs where Orton goes to an on-set physician who examines his arm injury. Piper is again a master sports entertainer here. His wide-eyed looks at Orton as the doctor looks over the arm are SO great. When the doctor says Orton might be fine, he immediately starts questioning: “What’s your name? … That ain’t his wrist. That ain’t his x-ray. Look at the length of the arm! You people have made a mistake!” THEN HE STARTS QUACKING!!! Epic, epic stuff.
Orton also squashes Paul Roma and it’s real sound and methodical and boring, but at one point Orton flexes his muscles and smiles and it is amazing.
Ivan Putski has a feature where he squashes Goldie Rogers (nice stalling by Rogers) and takes Vince and Lord Alfred to a Polish sausage harvest. The harvest is insane, and how could it not be? Tons of sausage jokes, and they hire an actress who is just CRUSHING the Polish shtick. The segment ends when Alfred starts dunking a sausage into her mouth and everyone’s cracking up, and then she dances and it is just so weird and 80s and Tuesday Night Titans.
Piper and Orton crash the close of the show and Piper looks at a hesitant Vince: “Do you know what it feels like to have a broken arm?”
Tuesday Night Titans #34 (5/17/85)
The one with… I don’t know, Mama Bellomo’s kitchen?
This is a rough show with not a lot going on. It’s got features on Rocky Johnson, Sal Bellomo, Brutus Beefcake, and Wendi Richter without Cyndi Lauper. Just a shit line-up.
The Rock’s dad has no discernable effect on anyone when he sits on the couch with Vince McMahon. He beats Steve Lombardi and a pair of old folks loving Rocky in the front row is the highlight.
Vince McMahon had Sal Bellomo on Tuesday Night Titans SO MUCH. Bellomo squashes Frank Williams and it is trash.
The Dream Team was just coming together at this point, and Johnny V and Beefcake sit on the couch and say V’s too busy so Hammer will fit the bill just fine as Beefcake’s partner. A Beefcake/Valentine squash with both Johnny and Jimmy Hart in their corner happens.
Wendi Richter and Peggy Lee Leather go 6 minutes which feels LONG and I can’t say any of it is good. Wendi sits down with Vince and is asked what type of men she likes and when she will settle down. Christ.
Vince McMahon, Sal Bellomo and Lord Alfred Hayes sign-off eating Italian food in Mama Bellomo’s kitchen and I am 75% convinced it is actually Bellomo’s mom. Vince’s earnestness as he compliments the steak is hilarious.
Tuesday Night Titans #35 (5/24/85)
The one with Hulk Hogan helping kids and Mean Gene Okerlund.
Bobby the Brain is always great, and this show is no exception. Lots of Bobby and Ken Patera here. You’ve got Bobby and Patera sitting down with Vince and reacting to Orndorff firing Bobby, Bobby on Piper’s Pit talking about Orndorff firing Bobby, Bobby sending notice to Orndorff and Hulk Hogan, and a sweet Ken Patera squash. Patera throws a bunch of suplexes and refuses to take 3 counts and early smart marks are losing their shit over it. “And the fans are loving it, believe it or not!”
King Curtis Iaukea, with his gig-marked forehead and laid back demeanor, joins the show and seems like a real interesting cat. He views stock footage from Hawaii with Vince and Lord Alfred and it is really weird. Hayes and Iaukea also lose it when they go off into a tangent about their luck with women. Some jackass in the back airs the wrong footage when they cut to a King Curtis match, though Curtis is still in the match. They air a minute and Curtis comments with a smile, “That match went on and on… that one could’ve gone on all night.” Old school wrestlers subtly burying their boring matches while simultaneously acting like they are putting them over is what I live for.
The Hogan Machine is in full effect out here, with Hogan acting as Guest Ringmaster for the Ringling Brothers Circus at MSG, and helping out a bunch of children with special needs. Humble Hogan is like the fourth best Hogan.
Mean Gene also gets some love as the WWF’s main interviewer and Hogan’s buddy. Hogan and Gene interview each other, and there’s footage of Gene cracking up when Wendi Richter delivers this line in a promo: “I’m not about to lay down on my back and let someone cover me.” Mean Gene swaggers out to the TNT set in a cabana hat, shades hanging off his polo collar, and a Member’s Only jacket, and he and Hogan bullshit about training and why he’s called Mean Gene.
Everyone is just having a ball as the credits roll – Alfred is trying Gene’s hat on, Gene is playing piano, Vince is jamming, and Hogan is just straight-up famous. This. Is. 1985.
Tuesday Night Titans #36 (5/31/85)
The one that’s the 1st Anniversary Special.
McMahon dancing to Polka, Andre’s Fish Song, Murdoch and Adonis, Piper slapping Albano, Wild Samoans cooking, Hogan and Mr. T, Granny Kim’s moonshine, Vince riding a mechanical bull – all the classics.
They show Kamala and the live chicken here, which was removed from the TNT #7 that it was originally on. And there’s extra bonus footage of Vince McMahon going down a military wall!
June through December will be covered in Year in Review – WWF Tuesday Night Titans (1985) – Part 2.
