#146 – WrestleMania 9
Dre and the Black Cat review one of the most criticized WrestleManias of all-time this week – WrestleMania 9, featuring several classic matches including the Hulksters big return to the squared circle with his good buddy Brutus Beefcake. We’re also joined by Robert from the Atomic Elbow in the second half of the episode. Please support the Old School Wrestling Podcast by visiting oldschoolwrestlingpodcast.com where you can find links to all of our great products. We now offer all of our box sets and bonus episodes from all three seasons on our premium digital download site. Thanks for listening and we’ll see you…..at the matches!
Maybe its the combo platter of Nyquil,Theraflu and Pabst Blue Ribbon talking but it occurs to me that if the OSWP was a wrestling promotion you two would be the Von Erichs-minus the tragedies god willing- and Robert from The Atomic Elbow would be your Bruiser Brody.You know he’s not there every show,he can’t be tied down to one podcast, he’s violent and tempermental he might have killed a drifter with a sock full of wood screws-ok most of that seems untrue and downright slanderous. But you guys are the reliable stars and he’s the special attraction that shows up every once in awhile and it makes for a great show. Alright,fine I’m going.
Great podcast! It was nice to hear you finally give some love to Tatanka. He was my favorite wrestler as a kid and you had him ranked low in the OSWP 500 book.
My favorite moment from Wrestlemania 9 was the commentary from Macho Man during the Money Inc vs. Mega-Maniacs match: ‘the fans are hanging from the rafters…except Caesar’s Palace doesn’t have rafters, but it has columns and they’re hanging from the columns.’
In some ways WM9 is the drizzling shits of all WMs, but unlike other bad WMs, such as WM11 and WM27, it is actually fun to look back on for the sake of nostalgia (maybe in 20 years, I will be nostalgic for Cena vs. Miz… oh wait, no the fuck I won’t….).
The sad part of WM9 (besides the togas and whole Julius Cesar theme) was the fact that the card was stacked with some legendary names, but still managed to suck a fat one.
Undertaker wrestled a guy in dressed up in a unitard which made him look like a cross between Slim Goodbody and a some sort of ape-man.
Macho Man was stuck in the announce booth, while Doink and Bob Backlund were featured in actual matches. Now you let that shit sink in. No wonder he left to WCW.
Hogan was put into a tag match with Beefcake, which was ok I suppose, but then for no fucking reason he comes out to beat Yokozuna for the title, after the Main Event was over.
How dareth you Black Cat!?
Great episode! I remember this was during the period when I was only watching occasionally and would talk about wrestling with coworkers. Many of us said that there was NO WAY Hogan could come back and be satisfied with being in a tag team with Brutus…even if they beat Money Inc. for the belts. Monday morning at work, a buddy came to me and said…”Hogan did it…he fucked us again!”
There was a documentary made during WM 9. I don’t think it was originally intended for public viewing, but clips of it were on the network. I think during the Wrestlemania roundtable discussion on Legends of Wrestling. Backstage footage of them setting up the ring, Vince giving advice to HBK and that elephant going after Bam Bam Bigelow’s nuts. There’s also a clip from some executive….I don’t think it’s Kevin Dunn, but someone involved in the TV end who goes on and on about what a GREAT SURPRISE ending it had.
Thanks for repping the Steiners/Headshrinkers match. Some buddies of mine have been doing these online WM compilation watch parties online in the past month as a (better) lead-up to this year’s Wrestlemania. 5 matches at a time, usually around 2 hours – use a chat room to chat while we watch. It’s been a great tool in getting people who haven’t watched wrestling in years/decades to take a look again. Anyway, the first compilation I put together had the Steiners match on it, as my choices for an underrated one to watch. Some of the guys in the event were questioning why I chose the match, and I couldn’t really say way. I was a big fan of the Steiners for the short time they were in WWE, and just had fond memories of the match (and the doomsday powerslam reversal) from when I first saw it when I was like 8 or 9. And the Headshrinkers WERE great opponents for just about everyone, those dudes could work, without ever feeling like legit threats.
Anyway great episode, I feel similar to you guys about it. It’s probably one of the worst Wrestlemanias (though not THE WORST), but it has a real special place in my memory and always enjoy it.
I’m still listening to the episode, but I had to stop and say that I absolutely LOVED/ADORED Dre’s “Hawaaiian Crush” movie pitch. A heartwarming tale of love and redemption, bruddah. First time I’ve cared about Brian Adams in….ever?
And who is waiting for Crush at the airport?
Doink the Clown?
No!! The girl!
Interesting side note. Brian Adams, (Crush) WAS actually born in Hawaii! Although by his look his parents were probably mainlanders.
Kayfabe imitates life.
We all know Pettengill’s time in the WWF, but his still act like a dolt on the mic on his awful morning radio show. Being a fan of Opie and Anthony with Jim Norton they would every October trash other radio morning shows around the country call it “Jocktber” and they would trash Pettengill’s show at the time with fame rock dj Scott Shannon on WPLJ in NYC. Pettengill would write crappy parody songs to whatever the topic in the headlines and do phony phone scams (which by the way real phone scams are not allow on regular radio) to the voice of Frank Rizzo and use a crappy name that was so bad you want to drive off the turn pike. Pettengill put Shannon on the play no mind list, then later eventually was forced out. After Shannon left, Pettengill announced he would once more take the world by storm with his newest venture; The Todd Show in the Morning on WPLJ. As Shannon went on to be number 1 in New York with his own show, Pettengill plummeted in the ratings and in under a year management decided to put a co-host in studio. As of January 2014 Pettengill is hosting Todd & Jayde alongside Jayde Donovan aka Patricia Sweet of “Hold your wee for a wii” murder fame from Sacramento’s KDND. I highly recommend checking out the O&A trashing of Pettengill over the years there on youtube, but no for safe at work so put the ear bud in for that listen.
Another great podcast, better than the event it covered! On a similar note, I’m a long time listener and after hearing your professed love for Commando over and over, I came across this masterpiece on glorious VHS – the way it was intended to be viewed.
Well, much like the nameless legions of soldiers in the finale, I was blown away. Thanks for the heads up on this gem!
My memories of this ppv are hazy. Literaly, as I first watched it from a tape, which wasn’t of good quality. The poor sound quality and snowy picture didn’t put me off from enjoying it, especially as it was one of the first shows I’d seen close to when it was originaly broadcast.
I’m sure I heard somewhere that this event was actually sited in a carpark, outisde a casino, which would answer much and go completely with how WWF was going at that time.
I stuck with WWF for another few years, finaly checked out after Wrestlemania 11 and then didn’t really get back until around the 2000’s for a short period.
Great show again guys 🙂
This below link is probably the highlight of Todd Pettengill’s WWF career (I’m really quite impressed):
http://www.wwe.com/videos/todd-pettengill-performs-at-the-1996-slammys-8809412
Its a day that will go down in infamy! Not the Bret / Hogan / Yoko shenanigans, but this podcast, which represents the first ever positive review of WM9! A landmark achievement.
Previously, the only positive comments on this dog turd of a show were in relation to other disasters, e.g. “It might be better than WM2, or a prostate exam without lube, but only just”.
However, it does all make sense. Your genuine affection for the Hindenburg of Wrestlemania’s shows that either senility, psychotropic drugs or severe head trauma have taken hold of your senses which puts your continued Demolition slams into perspective.
Your persistent attacks on ‘The Greatest Tag Team of All Time’ seems to be pathological – a dig at the tubby and balding Smash in the previous episode and the (admittedly hilarious) Crush backstory in this one shows that you have some issues to resolve. Perhaps you were touched by a middle aged man in S&M gear when you were infants? Don’t be ashamed – it happened to most of us (at least that’s what Uncle Whiplash told me when I was 5)
What I cannot reconcile is your equally irrational love of the Road Warriors, the second rate Powers of Pain imposters.
Of course Demolition should be in the hall of fame – they are inducting Larry Zybysko this year and Ax and Smash had larger bald spots, thicker waists and poorer cardio conditioning than the Living Legend, and they did it all whilst wearing leather and studs. That’s gotta be worth a plaque.
In my humble, but clearly correct opinion, they are saving the Demos for a year when they can be the headline entrant, a la Bruno, Savage, etc al.
Keep up the fine work, and perhaps seek some professional help. They have a special kind of ‘talking’ doctor that can help you see thr truth about the greatness of Demolition
Pip pip
Hi guys. Really loved the last two episodes. Just a couple of minor corrections. I believe you said Michael Hayes is in the Hall of Fame, but in fact he is not. In fact, it used to be a running gag on the Legends Roundtable discussion, he would be introduced as “future hall of famer” and he would just roll his eyes saying “Yeah right”. I agree with you guys thinking a Freebirds induction next year is very likely.
Second, Royal Rumble 93 was not Gorilla Monsoon’s last PPV broadcast (but it was his last with Bobby Heenan. He did 1 match each at Survivor Series 93 and Royal Rumble 94. He also did the entire King of the Ring 94 (with Macho Man and Art Donavan) and Survivor Series 94 with Vince McMahon.
Anyway, love the podcast and keep up the great work.
great show as always guys!
long time listener, first time commenter.
couple of things for your consideration:
1. The contrast on WM9 between Steiners’ style of wrestling vs Hogan/Beefacke’s style of wrestling. That is a textbook example of WWF vs WCW styles if I’ve ever seen one. I think most fans of the Steiners’ style were not into WWF and might be why the Steiners weren’t that popular in WWF.
2. I don’t think you guys mentioned Hogan’s yellow cowboy boots (!) he had on during his squash of Yoko. That was my favorite part of the show; Hart couldn’t beat Yoko, but Hogan could do so in 9 seconds, after wrestling earlier in the night, and wearing yellow cowboy boots!
Old man karate goes into the Hall of Fame providing hope to high school burnouts everywhere who keep breaking their clock radios and little league trophies with sweet close quarter chukk practice.
Loved the show guys. I have been thinking a lot about your comments on WCW guys not doing all that well in WWF, like Lex Luger and The Steiners. Along those lines, I tried to compile a list of the most successful ex-WCW wrestlers to appear in WWF, a quick 1-2-3 if you will. My criteria was that the wrestler in question had to have had some reasonable level of success in WCW and had to have had a bigger career in the WWF to be considered. In my opinion, that eliminates guys like Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Triple H for the first part and Ric Flair for the second part.
Honorable mention to Goldust who just missed my top three.
3. Eddie Guerrero – Eddie never could rise above the mid card cruiserweight role WCW slotted him in. In WWF he maintained that mid card role but eventually rose to the main event as WWE champion. That is what separates him from Goldust in my mind
2. Chris Jericho – He became such a main event star in WWF that is seems hard to remember just how buried he was on the WCW roster. From never rising above cruiserweight or TV title reigns to become the first Undisputed WWF Champion and a Grand Slam winner. He would definitely be number one if not for the next guy.
1. Stone Cold Steve Austin – Talk about forgetting a guy had another life in wrestling, Austin’s WWF accomplishments so totally dwarf his WCW career that it isn’t even funny. And he was well regarded in WCW for most of his run, sometimes even rising to main event status. Not only did he transform his look in WWF but he transformed the entire industry. And to think, Vince almost screwed it up by giving him The Ringmaster gimmick.
I had a similar situation to you guys regarding this PPV. My brothers and I were losing interest in wrestling following WM8 and the Hulkster’s exodus from WWF programming. We did order WM9 however, hoping that maybe the Hulk’s return would breath some new life into WWF’s campy product.
Well long story short, following Bret’s loss to Yoko I went to the bathroom. When I came back, my brothers were going crazy telling me that I just missed Hogan challenge and defeat Yokozuna for the title. I thought they were messing with me and refused to believe it.
It was a full 24 hours later before I finally relented and watched the VHS (we recorded every PPV) to see that they had not been pranking me and that Hulk was indeed the champion.
In fairness to me, being the youngest of three brothers, they often fed me such lies (ie: Warrior is dead and that is a new Warrior who is actually Texas Tornado)…
Just wanted to let you guys know how much I enjoy your show. Very entertaining trips down memory lane. Keep up the good work!