Straight Shoot Retro: WrestleMania 2

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Another week, another STRAIGHT SHOOT RETRO! This Wednesday, April 9, Jeff Schiller and I return to our normally scheduled time of 9pmET/6pmPT to discuss WrestleMania 2!

As always, you can watch the pay-per-view on the WWE Network, and let us take care of all the research, historical data, contextual information and jokes. Head on over to the official Google+ Events page to RSVP and start submitting questions!

Ways to watch/listen are below. Scroll down for more information on WrestleMania 2.

  • Right here, on this very page, live or after-the-fact, through the embedded YouTube video right up above
  • Over at the official Google Hangout event page, where you can watch live and even ask questions for me and my special guest.
  • On my official YouTube channel, where the video will continue to live after the event. Make sure to SUBSCRIBE.
  • The morning after, via audio-only podcast versions of the show embedded above or on iTunesStitcher and PodOmatic.

STRAIGHT SHOOT is completely free for you to enjoy, but in the face of rising podcast hosting costs, we need your support! Here are three easy ways to do it:

Likely as a response to Starrcade 1985: The Gathering behind held in two different arenas, Vince did Jim Crockett one better by holding WrestleMania 2 across three different cities: New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, with different main events and commentary teams in each. Unlike The Wrestling Classic, however, WrestleMania 2 was not offered as a true pay-per-view, as it was broadcast through closed circuit television, like WrestleMania I and the Starrcades up to this point.

In between The Wrestling Classic and WrestleMania 2, the WWE continued to grow within the pop culture zeitgeist, claiming more and more territory – especially with the success of Saturday Night’s Main Event on NBC, giving the promotion incredible access to the entire country through network television. WWE remained within a transitional period, however, as they still made use of talent from their early 80s period, and had not yet reached the ecstatic heights of WrestleMania III.

While Hulk Hogan, defending his WWE Championship against King Kong Bundy inside a steel cage, might have gotten most of the attention, it was one of the other main events that provided the most intriguing in from a pop culture perspective: Roddy Piper vs. Mr. T in a boxing match, a clear follow-up from WrestleMania I’s tag team main event. Interestingly, the third main event was a tag team match, as The Dream Team of Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake defending their titles against The British Bulldogs, aka Davey Boy Smith & The Dynamite Kid.

Check out the full card (minus spoilers) below:

New York:

  • Paul Orndorff vs. The Magnificent Muraco
  • Intercontinental Champion Randy Savage vs. George Steele
  • Jake Roberts vs. George Wells
  • Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper in a boxing match

Chicago:

  • Women’s Champion Fabulous Moolah vs. Velvet McIntyre
  • Corporal Kirchner vs. Nikolai Volkoff in a Flag Match
  • WWE vs. NFL 20-Man Battle Royal
  • Tag Team Champions The Dream Team vs. The British Bulldogs

Los Angeles:

  • Ricky Steamboat vs. Hercules Hernandez
  • Uncle Elmer vs. Adrian Adonis
  • Junkyard Dog & Tito Santana vs. The Funks
  • WWE Champion Hulk Hogan vs. King Kong Bundy in a Steel Cage Match

 

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