Moving from the Hidden Gems section back to the weekly TV shows, we return to All Star Wrestling. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to be all the episodes, I assume they are lost in time, as we only have five episodes for this year and two for the following year. The first episode takes us back to January of 1976. The reigning World Champion is Bruno Sammartino, who is currently in his third year of his second title reign. Meanwhile the Tag Team scene is dominated by the team of Louis Cerdan and Tony Parisi who have held the gold for about two months now and the Intercontinental Championship was still three years away. With this being a TV show most matches will be squash matches, talent versus no name guys, so they won’t be rated. With that, let’s go to the ring.
Opening show featuring the stars of the mid-seventies over a funky disco beat, we then head to our announcers, Vince McMahon and Antonino Rocca. They go over the stars we will see tonight, and Rocca is brutal to listen to while Vince has the brightest red suit ever.
1. Bobo Brazil v. Davey O’Hannon
Bobo is the reigning United States champion, funny seeing that in the WWWF since it was an NWA title. Davey stalls but Bobo quickly into an armbar, Davey makes the ropes. Bobo with a side headlock, and Davey gets him to the ropes and clobbers Bobo, which doesn’t faze him. Back to the headlock and into the ropes, Davey tries a cheap shot but Bobo blocks. Bobo with a wristlock takes down Davey and stomps the hands. Bobo continues to work the arm, but Davey fires back to no avail. Davey tossed across the ring and backs off into the corner. They lockup and into the corner, Bobo smashes a forearm across his chest. Davey comes back with a choke, but Bobo fights back and headbutts Davey for the win. Lots of stalling from Davey, but Bobo tossed him around like a rag doll. Not a bad match, as we get a handshake post match.
1. Bobo Brazil over Davey O’Hannon
2. Louis Cyr v. Pete McKay
Louis accompanied by manager Freddie Blassie, and doing a Yukon gimmick. Lockup and Cyr tosses Pete away, Pete comes back with a headlock and gets shot in. Kneelift from Cyr followed by a chop and snapmare, Cyr just tearing the jobber apart. I hope Rocca isn’t on commentary on too many of these shows, he’s awful to listen to, especially on job matches where not much happens. Beautiful belly to back suplex followed by a shoulderbreaker finishes the match.
2. Louis Cyr crushed Pete McKay
Vince McMahon at ringside interviews Big Cat Ernie Ladd, who faces two jobbers at once later on. Ladd says he asked for Ivan Putski and Brazil and they refused the match. He challenges Bruno for a match on TV so everyone can see him embarrass Bruno. Ladd mocks Putski and Brazil before talking about super athletes like Billy Graham and Ivan Koloff.
3. Big Cat Ernie Ladd v. Tito Torres & Sylvano Sousa
This is a handicap match as Ladd towers over both guys. Ladd just tossing both guys around and hammering them, neither gets any offense. They get tossed into each other and Ladd continues to destroy them. Sousa was trained by Bruno, so he has that at least! Ladd drives the taped thumb into the throat of Torres before tossing him out of the ring. Sousa gets stomped and choked as Torres struggles to get back in and gets tossed out the other side. Ladd drops a leg and covers for the easy victory.
3. Ernie Ladd over Sylvano Sousa & Tito Torres
4. Tony Parisi & Louis Cerdan v. Vincente Palmate & Baron Mikel Scicluna
As the bell rings we see Lou Albano stalking around ringside. Tony & Louis are the reigning champions and this is just a showcase for them as Vince and Rocca are talking about other stuff. Baron was a former tag champion about four years earlier with King Curtis, now he’s on the down slope as a jobber. Something you don’t see anymore, former champions and stars jobbing to the next generation. Quick tags from the champions as they beat on both guys with relative ease. Vincente eats the fall after an elbowdrop.
4. Tony Parisi & Louis Cerdan defeat Vincente Palmate & Mikel Scicluna
5. Jerry Blackwell & Bugsy McGraw v. Kevin Sullivan & Francisco Flores
Kevin Sullivan as a face is just odd, as the crowd pops for him. Meanwhile Jerry & Bugsy each have managers, Blassie and Wizard, at ringside for them. Blackwell and Sullivan start out and Blackwell overpowers the future Gamesmaster, but Sullivan uses his speed to take down Blackwell. Flores tagged in and works the arm, Bugsy gets involved and Sullivan tagged in. Bugsy tosses Sullivan away with ease, Blassie tries to trip Sullivan and Sullivan goes after him. Bugsy with a pair of shoulderblocks but runs into a chop, as Blackwell back in. Sullivan gets caught in the wrong corner, and gets destroyed by Bugsy. Bugsy tosses Sullivan to the hard cement floor and Flores goes to make the save but too late. Sullivan got counted out, as the heel team pull off a surprising win.
5. Jerry Blackwell & Bugsy McGraw over Kevin Sullivan & Francisco Flores
MATCH RECAP
1. Bobo Brazil over Davey O’Hannon
2. Louis Cyr crushed Pete McKay
3. Ernie Ladd over Sylvano Sousa & Tito Torres
4. Tony Parisi & Louis Cerdan defeat Vincente Palmate & Mikel Scicluna
5. Jerry Blackwell & Bugsy McGraw over Kevin Sullivan & Francisco Flores
Not a bad way to spend 45 minutes or so, a nice showcase of what the mid seventies WWWF programming was all about. Basically a series of squash matches, but highlighting the stars. Nothing to complain about, as the show went quickly. Next week we have Bugsy McGraw v. Ivan Putski, which should be interesting at least.
Coming Down the Aisle 