Tully Blanchard wrestled Dusty Rhodes 257 times & Other Statistics I Found on Cagematch

I get it CageMatch does not have all of the results of every show ever.  History of the WWE has cards that Cagematch does not list, but that is because CageMatch only lists show with results, but at the end of the day it's still a very good resource for results.

I was messing with the search feature and I found out that you can look at match statistics and they list categories like, by year, promotion, country, location, tag team partner, opponent and more.  This is how I found out that Tully Blanchard had Dusty Rhodes 257 times, more than any other opponent.  In fact the next closest opponent was Magnum TA at 107 times.  Anyhow that lead me down a rabbit hole and here I am to share that with you.

Tully Blanchard vs. Dusty Rhodes

257 Matches  259 Matches

1st Match: January 3, 1982 Houston Wrestling, Sam Houston Coliseum

Battle Royal won by Dick Slater.

Last Match: November 19, 2005 CCW: Carolina Championship Wrestling, Memorial Auditorium, Spartanburg, South Carolina

No contest for the vacant CCW Heavyweight Championship.

Over 250 of these matches took place between 1984 - 1988, also I have found that CageMatch is missing two matches, singles match on 01/05/2005 and a Bunkhouse Match on 02/12/2005. I have the Rise and Fall of CCW DVD set.

Of course this search leads me to, who has Dusty Rhodes wrestled the most, and it was Ric Flair!

Dusty Rhodes vs. Ric Flair

271 Matches

1st Match: December 17, 1972 AWA, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Battle Royal won by "Superstar" Billy Graham

Last Match: March 18, 2001 WCW Greed, Jacksonville, Florida

Dusty & Dustin Rhodes defeated Ric Flair & Jeff Jarrett

That last time they shared a ring together was November 26, 2006 at the WWE Survivor Series as they teamed with Ron Simmons & Sgt. Slaughter to defeated The Spirit Squad in a traditional Survivor Series match.

Ric Flair vs. Wahoo McDaniel

283 Matches

1st Match: December 17, 1972 AWA, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Battle Royal won by "Superstar" Billy Graham

Last Match: December 6, 1986 Central States Wrestling, St. Louis, Missouri

Bunkhouse Stampede Match won by Dusty Rhodes

Ironically Flair's first match with Wahoo was the same match as the first time he was in the ring with Dusty Rhodes.  Flair has said in numerous interviews how he's wrestled Steamboat a 1,000 times, and while they may have wrestled more times, CageMatch has them at 222 matches.  

Hulk Hogan vs. Andre The Giant

116 Matches

1st Match: December 7, 1979 Georgia Championship Wrestling, Knoxville, Tenneessee

Sterling Golden defeated Andre The Giant by DQ

Last Match: March 24, 1990 WWF House Show, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Hulk Hogan & The Big Boss Man defeated Colossal Connection: Andre the Giant & Haku

It's not surprising to me that Hogan's most matches with one person is a relative low number because WWF swapped out Hogan's opponents with more frequency than NWA typically did.  Incidentally number 2 on Hogan's list is Ric Flair at 115 matches. 

Arn Anderson vs. Dusty Rhodes

148 Matches

1st Match: March 9, 1985 Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Charlotte, North Carolina

$50,000 Tag Team Battle Royal won by Ric Flair & Magnum TA

Last Match: November 25, 1994 WCW House Show, Albany, Georgia

Steel Cage Match: Dusty & Dustin Rhodes defeated Stud Stable: Arn Anderson & Bunkhouse Buck

Also not surprising that Arn's wrestled Dusty the most as during the 80's hey day of Jim Crockett Promotions the Horsemen and Dusty were in a very bitter feud that raged for years.  Another stat you can look at is match statistics by Tag Team partner, and as Arn was a prolific tag team wrestler I thought it would be interesting to look that stat up: Tully Blanchard 448 matches, Ole Anderson 238 matches, Ric Flair 237 matches.

Ricky Morton vs. Bobby Eaton

450 Matches 454 Matches

1st Match: October 3, 1980 Continental Wrestling Association, Tupelo, Mississippi

Ricky Morton wrestled Bobby Eaton to a draw

Last Match: August 12, 2011 Juggalo Championship Wrestling, Cave-In-Rock, Illinoise

Rock n' Roll Express: Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson defeated The Midnight Express: Bobby Eaton & Dennis Condrey

One of the greatest tag team wrestlers of all time, 1/2 of the Rock n' Roll Express with Robert Gibson.  It's interesting that Bobby Eaton is number 1, Dennis Condrey at 311 matches is second, and Stan Lane is 3rd at 187 matches, clearly as a tag team The Midnight Express is their number 1 most wrestled opponent.  As with Tully Blanchard, CageMatch does not have 4 matches from Carolina Championship Wrestling in 2004 & 2005 where the Rock n' Rolls wrestled the Midnights.  Cagematch lists that Ricky Morton teamed with Robert Gibson for 1901 matches as partners.

Bobby Eaton's most wrestled opponent is also Ricky Morton and his second most is Robert Gibson.  Looking at the most times tag teamed with, it should be no surprise that Dennis Condrey is at the top of the list with 964 matches teamed together and Stan Lane is second at 702 matches. 

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Until next time! 

Wrestling Merch I Saw Junking

In 2025 my wife and I had the house sided and did a lot of work on the inside.  To help decorate the house we've been going junking at flea markets, antique malls, and even yard sales.  We see a lot of cool stuff and sometimes I find wrestling stuff and I thought I would share on the blog some of these items.

We went to a big vintage sale at the Union Fairgrounds in Union, Maine.  It was mostly clothes with little of anything else, but I did see these items at a one booth.

Hulk Hogan t-shirt from 1989 that they were asking $98 for it.  I thought it was a bit ridiculous until I looked it up on ebay and saw one for $200 and poshmark for $500.  I had some Hogan shirts back in the day, I even still have my No Holds Barred shirt that I bought at my first WWF show in 1989, it's signed by Hogan as well.

I had both of these NES: Nintendo Entertainment Systems games when I was a kid.  Released in January 1989 WWF WrestleMania was the first WWF video game released on a home gaming console.  You could be WWF Superstars: Hulk Hogan, André the Giant, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, Bam Bam Bigelow and The Honky Tonk Man.  Bam Bam did a cartwheel which was bad ass!

Tag Team Wrestling was an arcade game that came out in 1983 in Japan.  I remember playing it at the arcade back in the day, and even now you can at Fun Spot in New Hampshire.  It was later made for the NES game console, and others, being released in October 1986.  

We stopped at a new antique store in Pittston on Route 27, this poster was not for sale but was very cool!  The show on the poster is at the Portland Expo on Tuesday August 10th.  It doesn't list a year however in the years that Bruiser Brody wrestled of those years that August 10th fell on a Tuesday were in 1971, 1976, & 1982.  Using that data I could find no results on Cagematch, however on History Of WWE I found this listing:

WWWF @ Portland, ME – Expo Building – August 10, 1976 (1,600)

Kevin Sullivan pinned Rocky Tomayo at 11:03

Johnny Rodz fought Johnny Rivera to a 20-minute-time limit draw

SD Jones defeated Doug Gilbert via disqualification at 14:00

Chief Jay Strongbow, Billy White Wolf, & Ivan Putski defeated Bruiser Brody & WWWF Tag Team Champions the Executioners in a Best 2 out of 3 falls match

Also at this shop they had this Goldberg figure.  I actually had this and even remember pre-ordering it at Kaybee Toys when it was announced.  Released by San Francisco Toymakers in 1998 this 12 inch was a lame because it was not to scale with other WCW figures. 

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books. 

The Final Matches Of Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan is one for the greatest wrestlers of all time.  Even if you are not a fan of his in ring work, you can't deny he elevated wrestling to previously unseen heights in the 1980's national expansion of the then World Wrestling Federation, also known a when the territories died.

I was a huge Hulkamaniac when I was a kid, but even I became disenchanted with Hogan in the early 1990's and I stand by me feelings that he ruined WCW when he arrived in the promotion.  I'll also be the first to admit I popped big time during his nostalgia run in the WWE in the mid 2000's.  I was lucky enough to see him wrestle live twice during that run.

One would have thought that Hogan would have wound down his in ring career in the WWE, but sadly that was not the case.  In fact Hogan's last match was for TNA and not even in the United States.

Hulk Hogan had returned to the WWE with the NWO in 2002 and by that Summer he had returned to the Red & Yellow as a fan favorite.  He left in 2003, wrestled a match for New Japan, and returned in 2005 teaming with Shawn Michaels against Hassan & Davari at Backlash May 1st in Manchester, New Hampshire, I was at this show.  He worked more tag matches with Michaels on RAW that summer until HBK turned on Hogan leading to their match at SummerSlam that year.

Hogan left WWE after SummerSlam but returned in the Summer of 2006 at Saturday Night's Main Event setting up a match with Randy Orton in Boston at SummerSlam 2006, I was at this match as well.  This would be Hulk Hogan's final WWE match.

On April 27, 2007 Hogan wrestled what could be considered his only ever Indie show in Memphis, Tennessee.  It was supposed to be against Jerry "The King" Lawler but WWE pulled him from the event.  Hogan would pin Paul Wight to win the match.

Hogan's next series of matches would be of his own doing.  November 21, 24, 26, & 28, 2009 in Australia during the Hulkamania Let The Battle Begin Tour Hogan would wrestle and defeat Ric Flair every night.  I really can't believe that none of these shows have ever been commercially released, really seems like they dropped the ball on this.

On January 4, 2010 Hogan made is TNA television debut with the thought that he was going to be the savoir of the promotion, truth is he wasn't.  He's credited with having TNA move to Monday Nights live to go head to head with WWE, getting rid of the six sided ring, and bringing in a ton of his buddies.  In the end Hogan hurt TNA way more than he helped and it took the promotion years to recover from the damage that was inflicted.

However it would be in TNA that Hogan would wrestle his final matches:

March 8, 2010 Universal Studios, Orlando Florida

AJ Styles & "Nature Boy" Ric Flair wrestled "Immortal" Hulk Hogan & Abyss to a no contest

March 8, 2010 Universal Studios, Orlando Florida

No Disqulification: "Immortal" Hulk Hogan & Abyss defeated AJ Styles & "Nature Boy" Ric Flair

October 16, 2011 Bound For Glory Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Sting defeated "Immortal" Hulk Hogan by submission with the Scorpion Death Lock

In the build to this match Hogan had turned heel, leader of the heel faction  Immortal and was the "president" of now Impact Wrestling.  During this match if Sting won Dixie Carter would regain the presidency of the promotion.  Immortal would attack Sting post match and Hogan would make the save turning face.

January 26, 2012 Nottingham, England

"Immortal" Hulk Hogan, "Cowboy" James Storm & Sting defeated Bobby Roode, Bully Ray, & Kurt Angle

January 27, 2012 Manchester, England

"Immortal" Hulk Hogan, "Cowboy" James Storm & Sting defeated Bobby Roode, Bully Ray, & Kurt Angle

These were house show matches, and they talent on both teams was stacked, but it's not the final in ring send off that one would expect for someone the caliber of Hulk Hogan.  There is a clip from the 27th on YouTube of Hogan doing his post match pose down with James Storm and Sting while Eye of The Tiger is blaring over the sound system.

Hogan last match was released on DVD by Impact on their Hulk Hogan DVD release, so at least any major Hogan fan can own this piece of history.

Until Next Time!

Wrestler on TV Shows: The 80's

Wrestlers have been guest starring on television shows going back to the 1950's.  I previously posted about this on two separate occasions: The 1950's & 60's and 1970's.  Now let's take a look at the fabulous 1980's.

Married With Children
Season 2 Episode 22
Aired May 1, 1988

Married With Children ran for 11 seasons on Fox from 1987 to 1997 and was one of my favorite shows.  King Kong Bundy appeared in the Season 2 finale as Uncle Irwin celebrating the Bundy Family reunion.  Bundy would also appear in as himself in a season 10 episode.  This was not Bundy's only television outing as he appeared in two other shows in the 1990's as well.


A-Team
Season 4 Episode 7 Body Slam
Aired November 12, 1985

Hulk Hogan calls on his old friend BA to help him with mobsters that are trying to shut down the youth center he's financing. Other wrestlers appearing in the episode  that were uncredited were The British Bulldogs: Davey Boy Smith & the Dynamite Kid, "Mean" Gene Okerlund, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, Dave Hebner, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, Corporal Kirchner, Rick McGraw, Big John Studd, & Greg "The Hammer" Valentine

Season 4 Episode 21 The Trouble with Harry
Aired March 25, 1986

Hulk Hogan returned in this episode along with William Perry to aid the A-Team in who is helping a washed up boxer from his troubled past.

Learning The Ropes
1 Season 26 Episodes
Aired September 18, 1988 - March 31, 1989

This Canadian produced show aired on CTV in Canada and in syndication in the United States.  It starred Lyle Alzado as a teacher who works as the professional wrestler The Masked Maniac in the evening.  The show featured many guest and cameo appearances from the National Wrestling Alliance.  "Dr. Death" Steve Williams was Alzado's stunt double in the show wrestling the matches that were featured in each episode.  Other wrestlers that appeared included "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, Tully Blanchard, Sting, Lex Luger, The Road Warriors: Hawk & Animal, Ron Simmons, Dick Murdoch and more.
 

This show as yet to be released on home video and I doubt ever will.  You can find episodes on YouTube though. 

Queen Kong

Dee Booher, better known by her ring name of Queen Kong was a wrestler that performed in the ring for over a decade.  She got her start mud wrestling before joining up with GLOW: Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling and also wrestled in  GLOW creator David McLane's POWW: Powerful Women of Wrestling.  Booher also guested starred in so many television shows in the 1980's she gets her own entry.

Hardcastle & McCormick Season 3 Episode 10 "Strangle Hold" aired 11/18/1985

Night Court Season 5 Episode 4 "Ladies Night" aired 10/22/1987

Mama's Family Season 4 Episode 6 "Mama Mania" aired 11/21/1987

Night Court Season 6 Episode 15 "The Game Show" aired 2/15/1989

Amen Season 3 Episode 21 "Sing, Sister, Sing" aired 4/15/1989

My Two Dads Season 3 Episode 5 "Joey Gets Pinned" aired 10/29/1989

Booher also guest starred in several shows in the 1990's and was cast in many movies over the years.

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page and while you're at it check out my podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network. 

Until Next Time!

The Last Match: Hulk Hogan in Major Promotions

As we all know Hulk Hogan is one of the biggest stars in all of professional wrestling and significant runs in several major promotions.  This post will look at the last matches that Hulk Hogan had in those promotions.

TNA: Total Nonstop Action
January 27, 2012 Manchester, England
TNA Maximum Impact Tour 2012
with "Cowboy" James Storm & Sting defeated Bobby Roode, Bully Ray, & Kurt Angle

Hogans final five matches were for the Dixie Carter run TNA between 2010 and 2012.  His only singles match in the promotion came at Bound For Glory 2011 in a loss to Sting.  His total time in the promotion as 4 years where he served mostly as an on air authority figure.

He was supposed to have a feud with Jeff Jarret in 2003 that was set up after his match with Chono in 2003 for NJPW when Jarrett attacked Hogan with a guitar.  However due to injuries the match never happened.  This would have been Hogan's first match for the NWA Championship since October 1983 when he wrestled Harley Race to a double count-out.

WWE: World Wrestling Entertainment
August 20, 2006 Boston, Massachusetts
SummerSlam
defeated Randy Orton

Hogan first debuted in the then WWF on December 17, 1979 defeating Ted Dibiase at Madison Square Garden.  He would be a constant to the promotion until April 1981 where he went to the AWA.  He return in December 1983 where Hulkamania ran wild for a decade.  After the demise of WCW Hogan would have to short runs in the WWE as an in ring competitor and now works in an ambassador role.

I was actually at this match in Boston, compiling this blog is when I realized that I was there live for Hulk Hogan's last match in the WWE.

NJPW: New Japan Pro WrestlingUltimate Crush II
October 13, 2003 Tokyo Dome in Japan
defeated Masahiro Chono

Hogan debuted in NJPW in May 1980 in the 3rd Madison Square Garden Series.  Over the next five years he had multiple tours each year even after winning the WWF Championship.   He returned for a few matches in 1993 and the January 4th Dome show in 1994, and then his final match in 2003.

WCW: World Championship Wrestling
July 9, 2000 Daytona Beach, Florida
Bash at the Beach 2000
defeated Jeff Jarrett to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship

Hogan's six year run with WCW began and ended at the Bash at the Beach pay-per-view in Florida winning the WCW World Championship both times.  The first, July 17, 1994 in Orlando he pinned "Nature Boy" Ric Flair and the last in controversial fashion pinning Jeff Jarrett.

 AWA: American Wrestling Association
November 14, 1983 Phoenix, Arizona
defeated Jerry Blackwell

Won a Battle Royal

Hogan debuted in August 1981 after being fired from the WWF for appearing in Rocky III.  He started out as a heel but soon became a fan favorite and we got our first glimpses of Hulkamania.  He had several title matches against Nick Bockwinkel but the matches usually ended with Hogan winning by DQ or being awarded the title only to have the decision changed to a DQ leaving Bockwinkel as champion.

When Dale Gagne tried to claim the AWA and it's lineage he recognized Hulk Hogan as being a former AWA World Champion.  However the WWE lawsuit in 2007 - 2008 ended Gagne's claim and Hogan is not officially recognize as a former champion.

His final night with the promotion he competed in two matches.

NWA: National Wrestling Alliance
October 21, 1983 St. Louis, Missouri
defeated Crusher Blackwell

As Sterling Golden NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Champion

Hogan wrestled for numerous NWA promotions including Championship Wrestling from Florida and Georgia Championship wrestling, however this match in St. Louis was his last match on a NWA affiliate sanctioned show.

All images I found online using a google search.

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page and while you're at it check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network. 

Until next time!

Hulk Hogan's Rare WCW TV Matches

Back in 2017 I wrote about Hulk Hogan's Rare TV Matches in the WWF that he had on their syndicated programming.  At that time I didn't think much about his matches in WCW because I saw him on Nitro and Thunder frequently.  Recently though, I've been thinking about that time he spent in WCW before the advent of Monday Nitro.

Hulk Hogan joined WCW in 1994 and debuted on PPV defeating Ric Flair for the WCW World Championship at Bash at the Beach.  This list is going to look at the matches that Hogan had on WCW's weekend programming.  I will be excluding matches had on PPV, Clash of the Champions, Nitro & Thunder.  Let's take a look!

March 16, 1996 Dalton, GA
The Barbarian & The Shark with Jimmy Hart defeated Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage by disqualification

October 9, 1994 Atlanta, GA
WCW World Champion: Hulk Hogan & Dave Sullivan defeated Ric Flair & Masked Man (Bunkhouse Buck) with Sensuous Sherri a second masked man interfered and Ed Leslie made the save

August 6, 1995 Daytona Beach, FL
WCW World Champion: Hulk Hogan with Jimmy Hart defeated Kamala with Kevin Sullivan by disqualification after Zodiac & Shark interfered, Sting and Randy Savage made the save.  Michael Buffer did the ring introductions

All matches took place at Disney/MGM Studios Orlando, FL

November 12, 1994 
WCW World Champion: Hulk Hogan & Sting with Jimmy Hart defeated The Bruise Brothers: Ron & Don in 23 seconds with the leg drop and Scorpion Deathlock

taped February 5, 1995
WCW World Champion: Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage defeated defeated Pretty Wonderful: Paul Orndorff & Paul Roma

February 25, 1995
WCW World Champion: Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage defeated Avalanche & The Butcher

May 13, 1995
WCW World Champion: Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage defeated Bunkhouse Buck & Dick Slater

May 20, 1995
Los Dos Amigos fought Ric Flair & Vader with Arn Anderson to a no contest after Renegade and Jimmy Hart interfered, Amigos unmasked revealing themselves to be Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage

I don't remember this happening and I find this so hilarious that I can't believe this hasn't been brought up over the years or isn't in the Hidden Gems section on the WWE Network.  You can find the match on YouTube and I suggest you go watch it.

March 23, 1996
Hulk Hogan pinned Shark at 2:44 after hitting him with a chair twice

Hulk wrestled 9 matches on three of WCW's weekend shows during his six years with the promotion.  All tag matches except for two.  What is but isn't surprising to me is that WCW's flagship show for years going back into the NWA & Jim Crockett Promotion days was Saturday Night.  He appeared on many episodes but only wrestled one match. 

WCW Worldwide, arguably the lowest tiered of the weekend shows was where he wrestled the most matches at six, but these were taped in Florida where Hogan lived.  Hulk Hogan managed to accomplish what many others wished they could.  He reached a level of stardom where he only needed to wrestle a few times a month and make millions of dollars doing so.  Good for him!

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page and while you're at it check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network. 

Until next time!

Pete Dunne: The Longest Reigning WWE Champion in 30 Years

At 524 days, as of October 26, 2018, the WWE United Kingdom Champion "Brusierweight" Pete Dunne has become the longest continuous reigning singles champion in over 30 years since Hulk Hogan's first title reign came to end on February 5, 1988.

Dunne represents the WWE's United Kingdom brand but unlike other champions in the WWE, Dunne defends his championship in promotions around the world.  Since winning the championship Dunne has competed in near 200 matches. While not all were title matches compare that to Brock Lesnar who wrestled just 17 matches in his 504 day reign as Universal Champion and Asuka who wrestled 149 matches in her 523 day reign as NXT Women's Champion.

In the near 66 year history of the WWE Pete Dunne ranks sixth on the list of longest single reigning champions.  That is not an accomplishment that you can dismiss as only Bruno Sammartino, Bob Backlund, Hulk Hogan, and Pedro Morales have had a longer continuous single reigns as a champion.

However, Dunne has as long way to go before he breaks into their ranks.  Pedro Morales', number five on the list, 1,027 days as the WWWF Champion is over 500 days longer then Dunne's.  In order to tie Morales, Dunne would need to hold the United Kingdom Championship until Thursday March 12, 2020.

Although I don't see Dunne holding the championship for another seventeen months I do think it would be amazing if he was the champion for over two years.

Here are the 15 longest single reigning champions in WWE History:

2,803 Days Bruno Sammartino WWWF World Heavyweight Champion May 17, 1963 - January 18, 1971

2,135 Days Bob Backlund WWF World HeavyweightChampion February 20, 1978 - December 26, 1983

1,474 Days Hulk Hogan WWF World Heavyweight Champion January 23, 1984 - February 5, 1988

1,237 Days Bruno Sammartino WWF World Heavyweight Champion December 10, 1973 - April 30, 1977

1,027 Days Pedro Morales WWWF World Heavyweight Champion February 20, 1978 - December 1, 1973

524+ Days Pete Dunne WWE United Kingdom Champion May 20, 2017 - current

  as of October 26, 2018

523 Days Lex Luger WCW United States Champion May 22, 1989 - October 27, 1990

523 Days Asuka NXT Women's Champion April 1, 2016 - September 6, 2017

504 Days Brock Lesnar WWE Universal Champion April 2, 2017 - August 19, 2018

502 Days Rockin' Robin WWF Women's Champion October 7, 1988 - February 21, 1990

454 Days Honky Tonk Man WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion June 2, 1987 - August 29, 1988

448 Days Trish Stratus WWF Women's Champion January 9, 2005 - April 2, 2006

448 Days Duane Gill WWF Light Heavyweight Champion November 17, 1998 - February 8, 2000

441 Days Sensational Sherri WWF Women's Champion July 24, 1987 - October 7, 1988

434 Days CM Punk WWE Champion November 20, 2011 -  January 27, 2013

For those wondering I didn't count The Fabulous Moolah's 10,170 days reign as Women's Champion because even though the WWE does officially recognize it, as it was the NWA Women's Championship until May 19, 1984 when it was renamed the WWF Women's Championship.  There is a lot of controversy surrounding the actual length of the reign and the number of times the lost it officially or otherwise until Wendi Richter defeated her for it on July 23, 1984.

Other former championships I didn't include because they were only recognized occasionally were the WWWF United States Heavyweight Championship (1963 - 1976),  WWF International Championship (1959 - 1984), WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship (1965 - 1985), WWF World Martial Arts Heavyweight Championship (1978 - 1989) and all WCW & ECW Championships.

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page and while you're at it check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network. 

Later Readers!

WWF at the LA Sports Arena December 17, 1988

I had to urge to watch some 1980's WWF but didn't want to watch a PPV so I headed over to the Old School section in the Vault of the WWE Network.  I quickly found this show and noting that it was exactly 29 years ago this day it was a no brainer and I fired it up.

WWF Live at the LA Sports Arena December 17, 1988

Commentary: Rod Trongard and "Superstar" Billy Graham
Live on The Z Channel

Boris Zhukov  vs. "Leaping" Lanny Poffo

Boris opened with the Soviet National Anthem and Poffo countered with a poem:

That Great Big Ugly Russian
Thinks he's worth a million bucks
He had better stick to wrestling
Cause his singing really sucks

Zhukov jumps him before the bell by Poffo quickly gains control before Zhukov takes a powder to the floor.  They worked side headlock spot where Boris had one on Poffo and held the hair to prevent from being wiped off and then Poffo used Zhukov's beard to do the same.

Poffo worked the left leg and knee during the match using a step over toe hold and standing ankle lock to wear the big Russian down.  Zhukov got the pin in about 13 minutes with a clothesline off the second rope.

Winner: Boris Zhukov

Greg "The Hammer" Valentine vs. Tito Santana

Valentine is wearing the shinguard and Trongard referenced that it was to be called the Heart Breaker.  They spoke about it in great detail actually.  These two had some serious wars over the Intercontinental Championship just a few years before.

A really good and stiff back and forth match that went the 20 minute time limit.  I'm positive that after this match these guys felt this match.  It started slow and built and built leading to an exciting finish Tito slapping on the figure four just as time expired.

I think the WWE could benefit by returning to time limits in matches and have a draw once in a while to continue a feud.

Winner: 20 minute time limit draw

Bad News Brown vs. Jim Powers

I thought that this was going to be a squash match but surprisingly it wasn't.  Bad News tried to jump Powers at the bell but Power side stepped him.  Bad News left the ring a couple times threatening to walk to the back.  Powers managed to keep staying just ahead of News until he was bodyslammed on the floor.  News then worked him over for a few minutes punishing him with strikes and chokes until the ghetto blaster ended it at just about 11 minutes.

Winner: Bad News Brown

In Ring: While Powers was still in the ring Mr. Fuji came out annoucing that he had a new tag team The Powers of Pain.  He then kicked Powers then dropped kicked Fuji.  The Powers of Pain ran out and attacked Powers laying him out.

World Tag Team Champions: Demolition: Ax & Smash vs. The Powers of Pain: Warlord & Barbarian with Mr. Fuji

The match started after the commercial break with all four men starting until it ended with Ax and the Barbarian.  Typical big man match, except tag team edition.  Powers of Pain cheated a lot as they aer new founded bad guys, Demolition was on the unusual end having to sell as they are the baby faces.  Match was halted after six minutes when Fuji and his cane got in the ring and the referee disqualified both teams.

Winners: Double Disqualification

"Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase with Virgil vs. Hercules

DiBiase jumped Hercules as he slid in the ring which didn't end up well with Herc sending DiBiase to the floor.  Hercules got quite the pop, which just goes to show how over the Million Dollar Man was as a heel.  DiBiase took over control of the match wearing the big man down but couldn't put him away.  Hercules made a comeback after DiBiase missed a series of elbow drops and then took a series of clotheslines and a powerslam.

Herc then stood over DiBiase talking trash and then paintbrushed him with several slaps to the face just like DiBiase is known for and the crowd ate it up.  Hercules locked in the full nelson, but DiBiase made it to the ropes and on the break Hercules accidentally hit the referee.  Hercules put DiBiase in the torture rack backbreaker and with the referee still down Virgil hit Hercules with his own chain in the abdomen.  DiBiase scored the pin at about nine minutes for the win.

Winner: "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase

Backstage: Rod Trongard is with Slick and the Big Boss Man for a promo about their match.

Backstage: Rod Trongard said he was with Hercules Cortez who cut a promo about Ted DiBiase and Virgil.

Akeem the African Dream with Slick vs. Koko B. Ware

This match was 11 minutes of garbage.  Just terrible.  Koko didn't have Frankie, his offense was stick and move.  Akeem's offense was lumbering wear down holds like a long bear hug and slowing plodding around the ring.  Finish came when Koko went to dive at Akeem in the corner, he moved, and Koko ate the turnbuckle landing on his back where he was crushed by the 747 splash.

Winner: Akeem the African Dream.

Women's Champion: Rockin' Robin vs. Sensational Sherri

Sherri did a lot of jaw jacking with the fans before the start of the match.  I really enjoyed this match, it wasn't a five star classic by any means but you got to see the veteran in Sherri leading the rookie Rockin' Robin who had only been wrestling about a year at this time.  One of my favorite moments was when Sherri was being pinned and instead of kicking out she pointed to her foot that was on the bottom rope.

These two girls beat the crap out of each other and Robin got the pin in just over ten minutes with a wicked vicious looking bulldog.

I was pretty excited to see this match on the card.  I haven't seen a lot of Rockin' Robin matches in the WWE as most of her them were on house shows and not television.  Typically the match of hers I've seen the most is her title win over Sherri from Paris.

Winner: Rockin' Robin

Main Event
Hulk Hogan vs. The Big Boss Man with Slick

Boss Man tried to hit Hogan with the nightstick as he was getting into the ring so Hogan pulled him to the floor and proceeded to slam him into the ring posts repeatedly and even hit him in the head with a steel chair.  He rolled Bossman back in the ring and took the night stick to him before Slick jumped on Hogans back.  Bossman then accidentally splashed Slick in the corner leading to Hogan handcuffing Slick to the bottom rope outside the ring.  I guess this is no DQ?

Back in the ring Hogan would beat up Boss Man and then go to the floor and open hand slap Slick a couple times.  The fans were going insane for Hogan through all this.  Boss Man took control and uncuffed Slick.  Boss Man nailed Hogan with a piledriver and only got a one count.

Boss Man hit his finish, but it was awkward and the commentators called it a double clothesline that Boss Man got the better of Hogan on.  Boss Man hit a splash, Hogan kicked out on two Hulking up.  The big boot sent Boss Man to the floor who then pulled Hogan out posting him and handcuffing him with a cuffs that had a two foot chain.  Hogan rolled back into the ring with his hands cuffed still, Boss Man continued the offense, which the referee allowed.  Hogan eventually broke the chair and a clothesline and leg drop later Hogan won in about 13 minutes.

The pop when he won shook the hard camera.  And of course Hogan must pose.

Winner: Hulk Hogan

Except for the Koko and Akeem match this was a very good show and a good audience that got into it.  If you haven't watched it it's worth your time.  I've always been a fan of Rod Trongard not because he's a fantastic commentator, but because his voice is amazing.  Also when I think of him it's his time in the AWA that comes to mind.

Checking with The History of WWE it appears that WWE ran five shows this day with two matinee shows including one in Oakland that featured the same exact matches as this show with one change in that Demolition won via pinfall.

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Later Readers!