Ivan Koloff's WWWF Championship Matches

Fifty one years ago today the "Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff ended the near 8 year reign of the legendary Bruno Sammartino in a stunned Madison Square Garden.  Koloff, one of the all time greats in wrestling, was just 29 years old and had been wrestling for 10 years at the time he won the championship.  He wrestled regularly for the next 21 years and then sporadically having his last match in 2013.  

He would hold numerous singles and tag team championships in his career, but these 21 days in 1971 would be his only recognized singles World Championship.  I knew about his match where he defeated Sammartino and when he lost the title to Pedro Morales, however until I researched it I never knew if had any other title defenses.  

Koloff would wrestle several matches in the territories loop in singles and tag matches before dropping the title to Morales.  Sammartino did not get a rematch with Koloff after losing the title.  He did defeated Koloff on February 12, 1971 in Pittsburgh by disqualification, after Koloff had dropped the title to Morales.    

January 18, 1971 Madison Square Garden
Ivan Koloff pinned WWWF World Champion Bruno Sammartino to win the championship

January 20, 1971 Hammonton, New Jersey 
WWWF World Champion: Ivan Koloff defeated Tony Marino

January 22, 1971 Cherry Hill, New Jersey 
WWWF World Champion: Ivan Koloff defeated Manuel Soto

January 27, 1971 Hammonton, New Jersey 
WWWF World Champion: Ivan Koloff & the Black Demon defeated Gorilla Monsoon & Manuel Soto via count-out

January 28, 1971 Washington DC
WWWF World Champion: Ivan Koloff defeated Jean DuBois

January 29, 1971 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
WWWF World Champion: Ivan Koloff & WWWF International Tag Team Champions: The Mongols: Geeto & Bolo Mongol fought Gorilla Monsoon, Pedro Morales, & Chief Jay Strongbow to a no contest in a Best 3 out of 5 falls Match

January 30, 1971 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

WWWF World Champion: Ivan Koloff defeated Gorilla Monsoon via count-out

February 1, 1971 Allentown, Pennsylvania

WWWF World Champion: Ivan Koloff defeated Chief Jay Strongbow via count-out

February 2, 1971 Scranton, Pennsylvania
WWWF World Champion: Ivan Koloff defeated Chief Jay Strongbow via count-out 

February 3, 1971 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
WWWF World Champion: Ivan Koloff defeated Lee Wong

February 5, 1971 North Attleboro, Massachusetts
WWWF World Champion: Ivan Koloff fought Chief Jay Strongbow to a double disqualification

February 6, 1971 Boston, Massachusetts - Boston Garden
WWWF World Champion: Ivan Koloff defeated Jean Dubois

February 8, 1971 Madison Square Garden
US Champion: Pedro Morales pinned WWWF World Champion: Ivan Koloff to win the title at 23:18 to win the championship

The only footage I'm aware of that shows Koloff as Champion is the match where he defeated Sammartino and the match when he lost the title to Morales.  

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Pedro Morales: One The Greatest Champions in WWE History

Pedro Morales is one of the greatest champions in the history of the WWE and I'm going to tell you why.  I didn't always think so when I was a kid whenever Pedro was on TV I remember him losing or getting wins over jobbers who I called bums.  I would hear the commentators state that he was a former champion, but I just didn't see it.  Now looking back and seeing his old matches I see it and you should too.

Born in 1942 be debuted at the age of 17 in 1959 in New York after training with Barba Roja.  Although primarily known by me for being in the now WWE he has stints all over the United States and in Japan.

He held titles in NWA Hawaii, Championship Wrestling from Florida, NWA San Francisco, Puerto Rico's WWC and was a two time WWA World Heavyweight Champion.  He also wrestled for the American Wrestling Association, Crockett's Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling, as well as other promotions.

On January 24, 1963 the Capitol Wrestling Corporation officially became the WWWF holding their first ever television taping in Bridgeport, Connecticut on January 29th.  Morales made his WWE debut at that taping teaming with Dory Dixon and defeated Johnny Barend & The Magnificent Maurice.   He stayed with the WWE for two years then moved onto the WWA. 

On February 8, 1971 at Madison Square Garden Morales defeated Ivan Koloff for the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship ending the Russian Bears three week reign as champion. He would go onto hold the championship for 1,027 days dropping it to Stan "The Man" Stasiak in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on December 1, 1973.

As champion he headlined Madison Square Garden 30 times defending his title against the likes of Larry Hennig, BlackJack Mulligan, Freddie Blassie, Ray Stevens, and George "The Animal" Steele just to name a few.  On September 30, 1972 Morales defended the Championship against Bruno Sammartino in front of more than 22,000 fans at Shea Stadium wrestling to a 75 minute time limit draw.

Morales left the WWE in 1975 returning in 1980.  On August 9, 1980 he and then WWE Champion Bob Backlund defeated the Wild Samoans in two straight falls to win the World Tag Team Championships.  They were stripped of the titles the next day because of Backlund being the WWE Champion.
 

On December 8, 1980 he defeated Ken Patera at Madison Square Garden to capture the Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship becoming the first ever Triple Crown Champion.  He would hold the championship for 194 daus dropping it to Don Muraco in Philadelphia on June 20, 1981, but would regain it from Muraco on November 23rd at MSG.

His second reign would last over a year until January 22, 1983 when Muraco defeated him again at the Garden ending Morales 425 day run. 

To summarize:

Morales is the first ever Triple Crown Champion

He is one of only two people to ever hold the World and Intercontinental Championships for over a year on single reign, the other is "Macho Man" Randy Savage.

His 1,027 days as World Champion is the fifth longest single reign behind Bruno's two reigns, Bob Backlund, & Hulk Hogan.  The title has traded hands 134 times to 49 different title holders.

As Intercontinental Champion he held the title twice for a combined 619 days, the longest reigning champion of all time.  His second reign at 425 days is the second longest single reign behind the Honky Tonk Man.

Some will argue that I'm wrong, for instance Chris Jericho has held every championship in the promotion.  WWE Champion, World Champion, World Heavyweight Champion, Hardcore Champion, European Champion, Intercontinental Champion, United States Champion, WWE Tag Team Champion, and World Tag Team Champion.

In total Jericho had 26 championship reigns whereas Morales only had four.  However, Morales' four reigns lasted for 1,647 days and Jericho's twenty six lasted 1,059 days.  I firmly believe that this proves that Pedro Morales, without question, is one of the greatest champions in the history of the WWE. 

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Later Readers!

Pro Wrestling Illustrated 1975 Match of the Year

 I was surfing around on Wikipedia the other day and I don't recall how I ended up on the page but I ended up on the list of PWI Matches of the Year.  As I'm looking at the list there are several matches I recall watching and I agree with the listings. However one jumped out at me at being on the WWE Network.

One of my favorite sections is the Old School section but they have added very little to it since the launch of the Network.  I love watching the old house shows from Madison Square Garden and other places, including the 70's. Honestly I would love them to post some matches from the 60's if they had any.  

The oldest card on Network is from 1975, which coincidentally features the PWI 1975 Match of the year!

March 17, 1975

Madison Square Garden

Texas Death Match

WWWF World Heavyweight Champion: “Living Legend” Bruno Sammartino w/ “The Golden Boy” Arnold Skaaland vs. Sprios Arion w/ “Classy” Fred Blassie

Referee: Eddie Gersh

Commentary: Vince McMahon

This was the classic silver rope ring that had the two hard cameras, one at ring level and the other angled down from a section or two up from the other hard camera.  I really like this second camera view.

The seconds clear the ring and the referee checks both men, Arion first, then while checking Bruno Arion pearl harbors Bruno with a right hand then delivers a series of kicks and stomps.  The referee backs Arion up and calls for the bell.

Bruno unloads on Arion with several blows then sends him into the ropes for a knee to the gut.  A few more strikes then a body slam and a two count for Sammartino.  Bruno backs Arion into the corner with some shoulder blocks to the mid-section before Bruno applies a bear hug.

Arion breaks the hold with an ear ringer.  Both men exchange blows from their knees then Arion takes control whipping Bruno into the turnbuckle and falling to the mat.   Arion delivers a series of kicks to the back and stomach. 

Bruno gets to his feet and crowd comes alive, Arion continues to work Bruno over with blows to the lower back and mid-section.  Arion with a European uppercut good for a two count.  Bruno takes over with a series of punches and kicks.  Bruno gets riled up and the crowd comes alive again.  Bruno  knocks Arion out of the ring to the floor. 

Arion slowly gets back in the ring and takes over on offence knocking Sammartino to the floor and then blatantly kicks Sammartino in the junk.  The referee allows this.  Some more kicks from Arion then a body slam for a two count.  The crowd is chanting Bruno with vigorous passion.

Bruno reverses an atomic knee drop attempt with a side headlock and punches to the head.  A series of knees to Arion’s back.  One knocks Arion over the top rope onto the apron, Bruno kicks him to the floor.  Bruno gets on the ring apron and kicks Arion into the ringside barricade, Arion takes a swing at fan. 

Back in the ring Arion the kind of lock up with Bruno getting a side choke on Arion, then some more punches and kicks.  The crowd loves it when Bruno kicks Arion in the head while he is down so he keeps doing it. 

Bruno locks in a rear chin lock, Vinnie calls it a Boston crab something very similar to it.  We get a rope break so Bruno stands on Arion’s head bouncing up and down while holding the ropes.  The exchange blows in the standing position.  Sammartino used the corner to kick Arion with both feet. 

Arion knocks Bruno to the canvas and starts a series of various kicks and then punches followed by more kicks.  Arion goes for an abdominal stretch, Bruno reverses into a nice judo throw, followed by a hip toss and a body slam for a two count.

Bruno grabs a headlock, then is sent into the ropes eating a kick to the midsection.  Arion throws Bruno into the ropes who comes off with a kick of his own.  Another bodyslam by Bruno, Arion gets his foot on the ropes but the referee doesn’t see it. 

Arion protests showing the referee what happened, but he doesn’t care.  Arion protest to Bruno, but he doesn’t care either.

The match wasn’t bad, but Match of the Year, seems unlikely.  

I don't normally do match reviews like this with the blow by blow, but as we are talking about a Match of the Year I felt it necessary.  

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Other matches on this show   

WWWF @ New York City, NY - Madison Square Garden - March 17, 1975 Televised on HBO - featured Vince McMahon on commentary:
Johnny Rodz pinned Bill White at 11:31 with a stomp from the middle rope after White failed a dropkick attempt
Mike Paidousis pinned Jack Evans at 5:43 with a kneedrop after Evans ran into the ropes when Paidousis moved out of the way
Manuel Soto & Pete Sanchez defeated Joe Nova & Hans Schroeder at 22:05 in a Best 2 out of 3 falls match
Chief Jay Strongbow pinned Butcher Vachon at 9:10 with a Thesz Press
WWWF World Champion Bruno Sammartino (w/ Arnold Skaaland) pinned Spiros Arion at 14:51 in a Texas Death match with a powerslam even though Arion's foot was on the bottom rope during the cover; prior to the bout, Freddie Blassie escorted Arion to the ring before returning to the dressing room
Victor Rivera defeated Killer Kowalski via disqualification at 15:58 after Kowalski began biting at Rivera's head; prior to the bout, the Grand Wizard escorted Kowalski to the ring before returning to the dressing room
All American Wrestling - 5/6/84: Ivan Putski defeated the Wolfman via submission at 6:45 with a bearhug (Putski's MSG debut)
Dean Ho & Tony Garea fought WWWF Tag Team Champions Johnny & Jimmy Valiant to a draw in a Best 2 out of 3 falls non-title match; fall #1: Garea pinned Johnny at 1:49 after throwing him off the top rope; fall #2: Johnny pinned Garea at 4:05 with a sunset flip; fall #3: the bout was stopped due to the curfew at 12:13; prior to the bout, Capt. Lou Albano escorted the Valiants to the ring before returning to the dressing room