WWF: All Star Wrestling
August 16, 1980
Hamburg, PA
Hamburg Fieldhouse

Your current WWF champions are as follows:
WWF Heavyweight Champion: Bob Backlund (2/20/1978)
WWF Intercontinental Champion: Ken Patera (4/21/1980)
WWF World Tag Team Champions: Vacant (8/10/1980)

Pop Culture #1s of the Time:
#1 Movie of the Week: Smokey and the Bandit II starring Burt Reynolds and Sally Field
#1 Song of the Week: Magic by Olivia Newton-John
#1 TV Show of the 79-80 Season: 60 Minutes hosted by Mike Wallace

Follow along if you have the WWE Network!

Your hosts are Vince McMahon and Bruno Sammartino.

They take us back to last week’s edition of Championship Wrestling which of course airs leading up to the big Showdown at Shea card. Tony Garea sits ringside for the Larry Zbyszko versus Billy Berger match. Apparently, he’s trying to understand Zbyszko’s attitude change after being gone for so long. They were WWF tag team champions, ya know. After Zbyszko squashes Billy Berger and wins with a vertical suplex in 3:35, Garea comes to the ring apron for a chat with Zbyszko and gets physically assaulted. Arnold Skaaland and a doctor come over to check on Garea. Next thing we know, Bruno Sammartino goes over to Garea for an interview. All Garea has to say is he tells Bruno to break every *damn* bone in Larry Zbyszko’s body.

• Tony Atlas vs. Johnny Rodz

Back to Hamburg, Atlas is adamant sticking to headlocks and hammerlocks and what not. Rodz of course does what he can to escape and put the boots to Atlas. Oddly enough, Rodz sticks with a TEST OF STRENGTH, but ultimately goes low on Atlas and pounds him in the corner. Atlas turns the match around and whips Rodz hard into the corner. Rodz rakes the face to get out of a chinlock and whacks Atlas with an ice pitcher. Here comes Tony with the Flip Flop and Fly, but he telegraphs a backdrop. Rodz misses a corner charge which staggers him into the Full Nelson for the submission. (6:48) The full nelson is not a good hold for Tony. He looks like he’s trying to pass a hard poop when he’s got it locked on his man.

Afterwards, Bruno Sammartino talks with Tony Atlas. Tony says he’s making a serious run at Ken Patera and his IC title. The time will come when Patera meets his match in the ring – and hopefully it’s TONY ATLAS. Bruno brings up Tony’s weightlifting and bodybuilding contest wins, but of course Atlas is too humble to do that himself. Atlas thanks Bruno for mentioning his achievements, but he’s training to get after Ken Patera.

• Afa (w/Captain Lou Albano) vs. Rick McGraw

McGraw uses his speed and size to frustrate Afa to start. The headlock thing isn’t going to work though. Afa knocks McGraw silly with a headbutt and whips him in the ropes for a back elbow. Ahh, nerve hold time. Once McGraw gets to his feet, Afa corners him for a beatdown. Afa misses a corner charge and McGraw goes after the arm and shoulder. Afa comes back with headbutts. He drops McGraw throat-first on the top rope and then tosses him to the floor. Albano gets in some cheap shots. Back in, McGraw tries to get FIRED UP. Afa cuts him off with a kitchen sink knee and delivers a Falling Headbutt for the win. (6:37) So much for McGraw making a run for it. He’s headed to JTTS territory.

• Rick Martel vs. Jose Estrada

MY MAN RICK! Meanwhile on the Portland Wrestling program on the same day, he wrestles Buddy Rose in a “Loser Leaves Town” match defending his Portland title. Estrada slams Martel right out of the gate, but then receives a much bigger slam and a series of armdrags to send him packing. They trade hiptosses and Estrada complains to ref Dick Whorle. There’s an armbar that Estrada grabs the tights to gain the advantage. He switches to a headscissors, but Martel powers out and keeps the legs grapevine for a surfboard hold. Estrada bites his way out and punches away. Martel punches back and pounds Estrada’s head on the buckle. He grabs a chinlock, but Estrada rakes the face to escape including using some wrist tape. Estrada tries to get a pin with a crucifix hold, but nope. Martel is really just getting ANGRY. Not angry enough though as the match continues. Estrada escapes another chinlock and grabs a hammerlock. They wind up in the ropes together where Martel chokes Estrada in the ropes. Not sure why, but Captain Lou Albano is back out here. Estrada continues to choke Martel. Some crazy old fan who looks like a shorter Brian Posehn tries to whack Albano with a wooden chair. A cop is quick to jump to the scene. Martel starts going DROPKICK CRAZY and Albano gets caught up in the middle of all that. There’s a hurracanrana to Estrada and Martel gets the three-count. (9:02) Long-ish match with Estrada not having the offense today to keep this interesting. WHY WAS ALBANO OUT HERE?

Afterwards, Bruno Sammartino talks with Rick Martel. Bruno wants to know what Martel calls the finishing move he did. Martel calls it a victory roll (fair enough). He says he appreciates all the support he’s getting from the WWF fans. Martel looks forward to facing someone like Ken Patera because he holds the “Mid-Atlantic” title. Whoops. Well, not anymore, but we know what title you meant. Bruno wishes Martel nothing but the best to close out the interview.

• Sgt. Slaughter (w/the Grand Wizard) vs. Rick Stallone

This is our earliest look at the Sgt. Slaughter character. When Stallone gets ready to hook it up, Slaughter dares him to punch that big chin of his. Of comes the wife beater shirt and it’s all over for Stallone. A big powerslam sets up the COBRA CLUTCH for the win in 3:42. When Stallone has gone to sleep, Slaughter screams out “I CAN’T HEAR YOU!” Awesome.

All we need now is an interview with Slaughter, but we won’t see that today.

Until next time, so long for now.