We have our first Steel Cage match here on the list, coming courtesy of the WWWF. I always thought it weird that WWE and the then NWA always had differing rules on Steel Cage matches. WWE has always used the 'escape the cage or go through the door' aspect while the NWA used just pinfalls and submissions.
Anyways, back to the match, the WWWF Champion Bruno Sammartino is taking on former champ, Ivan Koloff. This match is just pure domination by Sammartino as he beats Koloff from pillar to post and into the steel cage as well. Koloff gets bloodied after repeatedly hitting the cage. Sammartino beats him down enough that Koloff is pretty much out on his feet to escape by going out the door of the cage. One noticeable thing here about this cage was how small it looked compared to today's cages. Also, how flimsy it was, but that probably helped with the give so the wrestlers weren't knocked out upon hitting it.
My Grade: B-
A real solid brawl here, though somewhat one sided.
Showing posts with label Ivan Koloff. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ivan Koloff. Show all posts
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Match #3 Feb. 8, 1971, Ivan Koloff vs. Pedro Morales, WWWF Title
Ivan Koloff is the reigning WWWF Champion heading up against the WWWF United States Champion, Pedro Morales. Jim Ross in on commentary for this match which helps provide interesting tid bits about the time period. For instance, most the of the New York State Athletic Commission is in attendance, MSG had a curfew for wrestling of 11 p.m., and the ring itself had four ring ropes, as apposed to the normal three.
The match itself has a slow pace to it. Koloff is the type of wrestler who tries to grind his opponent into submission, while Morales is the flashier of the two. The pace of the match just did not do it for me. I am pretty sure that if I was alive back in this period, I'd be more of a fan of the NWA title matches as they seemed to employ more of an exciting style of wrestling, but this could just have been a bad mesh of styles.
Match ends with almost like a german suplex out of the corner by Koloff, ending in a double pin but Morales gets his shoulder up in time to win the title. The crowd was really into this match so it could be the time difference clashing with my tastes here.
My Grade: C
The foundations of the match are solid, I just could not get into it that much.
The match itself has a slow pace to it. Koloff is the type of wrestler who tries to grind his opponent into submission, while Morales is the flashier of the two. The pace of the match just did not do it for me. I am pretty sure that if I was alive back in this period, I'd be more of a fan of the NWA title matches as they seemed to employ more of an exciting style of wrestling, but this could just have been a bad mesh of styles.
Match ends with almost like a german suplex out of the corner by Koloff, ending in a double pin but Morales gets his shoulder up in time to win the title. The crowd was really into this match so it could be the time difference clashing with my tastes here.
My Grade: C
The foundations of the match are solid, I just could not get into it that much.
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