World Wrestling Federation Presents – WWF at MSG (Show Report)
January 17th, 1970
We see Vince McMahon standing at ringside with a microphone.
Vince McMahon: Welcome everyone to WWF at Madison Square Garden. Tonight we have a big show for you where we will see eight matches in the WWF Heavyweight championship tournament. Let's go to the ring for the first match on the show.
Match # 01
Opening Round Match
Dan Spivey vs Ivan KoloffMatch Notes – The match started off with a collar and elbow tie up. Ivan Koloff pushed him into the corner. The referee called for the break. Koloff slapped Dan Spivey across the face which irritated Spivey. Koloff then gave him a thumb to the eye and sent him into the turnbuckles. From there he gave him a couple of knees to the gut.
Ivan Koloff then grabbed him and gave him a body slam. He went for the pin and only got a two count. Dan Spivey fired back and gave him a knee to the face. He then body slammed him in the center of the ring. He then lifted him up and gave him a power bomb for the pin. Dan Spivey now advances to the next round in the tournament!
Result – Dan Spivey wins!Match # 02
Opening Round Match
Mad Dog Vachon vs Austin IdolThe bell sounded after Vachon attacked Idol before the bell. Idol was busy struting his stuff around ringside when Mad Dog grabbed him by the hair and pulled him into the ring. Mad Dog Vachon gave him a couple of stiff chops in the corner. Idol countered and gave him a few chops of his own. They traded punches back and forth before Austin Idol was knocked to the outside.
Outside on the floor Mad Dog Vachon grabbed him and irish whipped him into the steel pole. Austin Idol grabbed his forehead in pain. Mad Dog Vachon gave him a stiff chop and the two ended up back in the ring.
Austin Idol grabbed Mad Dog and gave him a big vertical suplex. He then lifted him up by the hair and then followed it up with a DDT for a near fall. Austin Idol continued on with the attack and gave him a chop to the chest and then put him in a bear hug. Vachon got the life squeezed out of him. Austin Idol then slammed him to the mat.
Austin Idol then bounced off the ropes and gave him a big leg drop for a near fall. He then went after the left knee of Mad Dog. He kicked it several times and then attacked it some more. Mad Dog Vachon was screaming in pain. Austin Idol put him out of his misery with a Las Vegas Leg Lock for the submission win!
Result – Austin Idol with the victory!Match # 03
Opening Round Match
Paul Ellering vs "Ravishing" Rick RudeThe match kicked off with Rick Rude posing to the crowd. The fans didn't like what they saw and booed. Paul Ellering then climbed the ropes and the fans cheered. Rick Rude tried again to a chorus of boos. Paul Ellering went up again and posed to the crowd and then fans went crazy. This made Rude irate and he attacked him from behind. He gave him a punch to the head and then sent him flying into the ropes.
Paul came off the ropes and Rude gave him a big back body drop. He went for the cover and got a two count. He then lifted him up and slammed him in the middle of the ropes. Rude took advantage of his downed opponent and then gave him a jumping knee to the head. He went for the pin but Paul was able to kick out.
Paul Ellering came back and punched Rude in the stomach. He then sent him flying over the top rope to the arena floor. Rude was not able to make the ten count and lost the match to Paul Ellering.
Result – Paul Ellering wins by Count Out!Match # 04
Opening Round Match
"Superfly" Jimmy Snuka vs King Kong BundyThe bell sounded and the match started. King Kong Bundy stood in the center of the ring and challenged Snuka to try to knock him off his feet. Snuka took a moment and then bounced off the ropes and went for a flying shoulder tackle. Snuka then fell to the mat as Bundy laughed. Bundy motioned for him to try again. Snuka slowly got up and tried again, this time Bundy caught him and gave him a back breaker for his troubles.
Snuka was badly hurt and some how got to his feet. He gave Bundy a couple of punches to the face which staggered Bundy. Snuka then climbed out of the ring and up the turnbuckles where he came off with a big dropkick knocking him down. He then climbed the top rope again and came off with a big Superfly Leap for the win!
As Snuka was celebrating his victory, Bundy grabbed him and tossed him to the outside. Bundy then exited the ring and grabbed Snuka where he rammed Snuka's back into the ring post several times. Snuka was badly hurt and needed to be brought to the backstage on a stretcher. This brought the show to Intermission!
Result - Jimmy Snuka wins!
It was announced at Intermission that next month will be the conclusion of the tournament. It was also announced that there would be a weekly WWF television show called WWF Superstars so stay tuned for that!
Match # 05
Opening Round Match
Pat Patterson vs Bob BacklundThe bell sounds and the match is on. Pat Patterson punched Bob in the face. He then took him down in a side headlock. Bob Backlund fought out of it and gave him a punch to the gut. The two fought back and forth before Pat Patterson got the advantage.
Pat Patterson grabbed him and gave him a big atomic drop. He then went for the cover and got a two count. He then grabbed him by the hair and slammed him in the center of the ring. He then bounced off and gave him a flying knee to the head. Bob Backlund then got him in a small package but Patterson was able to reverse it for the pin and the win.
Result – Pat Patterson wins!Match # 06
Opening Round Match
Bruiser Brody vs Bam Bam BigelowAs soon as the bell sounded the two went right for each other. Bruiser Brody gave Bigelow a big headbutt. Bigelow staggered back and into the ropes. Brody charged him and clotheslined him over the top rope to the floor. Brody then left the ring and went right after Bam Bam. The two traded punches and then Bam Bam grabbed him and rammed him back first into the steel post. Bruiser Brody fell to the floor.
Bam Bam Bigelow paraded around ringside and then grabbed him and rammed him face first into the pole. He then tossed him into the ring. Brody was a bloody mess. Bigelow gave him a stiff chop and then slammed him into the center of the ring. Bigelow then exited the ring and climbed the top rope. He went for a falling head butt but Brody moved out of the way and Bigelow landed face first into the mat.
Bruiser Brody took advantage of this and slammed him in the middle of the ring. He ten bounced off the ropes and gave him a big jumping knee drop for the pin and the win!
Result – Bruiser Brody wins!Match # 07
Opening Round Match
Antonio Inoki vs Tony AtlasThis was a really short match. They locked up and then Inoki put him in a side headlock. He then took him down. He realesed the hold and then punched Atlas in the face. Atlas came back and punched him in the nose. The two traded punches before Antonio Inoki hit an Enzugiri for the win!
Result – Antonio Inoki wins!Match # 08
Opening Round Match
Jack Brisco vs Terry GordyThe bell sounded and the two men stood there as the fans started to go crazy. They then went nose to nose. Terry Gordy shoved Jack and then Jack returned the favor. Jack Brisco then put him in a side headlock. Terry Gordy powered out of it and gave him a back suplex. He then bounced off the ropes and gave him a big elbow for his troubles. He went for the pin but Jack Brisco kicked out.
Terry Gordy continued on with the attack. Jack Brisco cut him off and knocked him down with a powerful shoulder tackle. He then applied a Figure Four Leg Lock for the submission win. After Jack Brisco released the hold, Terry Gordy recovered and hit Brisco in the back of the head. This lead to a violent brawl after!
Result – Jack Brisco wins!
