Madison Square Garden
New York City, NY
February 8, 1971
We finally made it to Madison Square Garden. Three weeks earlier "The Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff pulled off the miracle of beating EIGHT year champion Bruno Sammartino to become the new WWWF Heavyweight Champion. His first title defense in Madison Square Garden would be against the WWWF United States Champion Pedro Morales. This is an incomplete writeup because the rest of the card is lost to time, but the main event remains. So what else was on the card? Remember last month where The Mongols fought Chief Jay Strongbow and Gorilla Monsoon to a draw? Well tonight Monsoon goes one on one with Beppo Mongol. Bruno Sammartino in his first MSG match since dropping the belt to Koloff takes on Geeto Mongol. Blackjack Mulligan had come to New York a few weeks earlier and won all six singles matches. He takes on Tony Marino and we got a midget tag team match. Let's get to it.
Match 1
Lee Wong vs Vincente Pometti
Pometti makes his return to the Garden and this time he's got Lee Wong with him. These two didn't really have a feud or history, just a classic opening match. Pometti gets the duke.
Winner: Vincente Pometti
Match 2
Jack Evans vs Gene Dubois
Dave McKigney is back as "Gene Dubois" and he's got Jack Evans tonight. Jack Evans was a territory jobber that later became the masked Mr. X. Jack gets the win over Dubois.
Winner: Jack Evans
Match 3
Little Brutus and Sky Low Low vs Frenchy Lamont and Little Joey
Oh boy....a midget tag team match. The same guys wrestled each other in Boston two days earlier. Apparently Brutus and Low Low won this time.
Winners: Low Low and Brutus
Match 4
Tony Marino vs Blackjack Mulligan
Looks like Mr. Battman has his hands full with Blackjack Mulligan on this night. Mulligan had been undefeated since coming to New York three weeks earlier. Mulligan got the win and pretty much set himself up as one of the top heels for the WWWF at the time.
Winner: Blackjack Mulligan
Match 5
Gorilla Monsoon vs Beppo Mongol
As I mentioned earlier, these two worked the previous month in a tag match. Now one half of the International tag champs faces Monsoon one on one. Apparently the match ended in a double count-out, so much for a feud blowoff.
Winner: No one (Draw)
Match 6
The Wolfman vs Manuel Soto
Big rough wild man takes on the latin sensation Soto. Apparently they went a 20 minute broadway....one of the only times I'm glad I don't have to see a match. The idea of those two going 20 isn't appealing, no offense to either.
Winner: No one (Draw)
Match 7
Bruno Sammartino (with Arnold Skaaland) vs Geeto Mongol
One month after Bruno drops the World title to Koloff, he gets to take his frustrations out on half of the tag champs in Geeto Mongol. Bruno knocked him off in about 5 minutes.
Winner: Bruno Sammartino
Match 8
WWWF United States Champion Pedro Morales vs Ivan Koloff for the WWWF Heavyweight Championship
Its title vs title as the main event of tonight's MSG card has the US champ Pedro taking on the world champ Koloff. Essentially the winner is the unified champion. The bell rings and the ref argues with Koloff before anything happens. Morales tries to right jab Koloff who backs off and tells the ref to watch the fists. They tie up twice and Pedro shoves him off. Koloff steps between the ropes. Morales shoulderblocks Koloff down but runs right into a backdrop. Morales nips up, scoop slams and does a headlock takeover. Morales does another one and locks it in but Koloff makes it to his feet. Morales is sent off but shoulderblocks Koloff down. Koloff responds with a kick to the mid-section to trip up Pedro. Koloff locks in a rear chinlock but Pedro gets up only to eat a snapmare by Ivan. Koloff locks in another chinlock but starts choking Pedro. The alert ref tells him to let go and Koloff gets up to taunt the crowd. Pedro gets up and backs Koloff off with a big left hand. Koloff begs off and extends a handshake but Pedro is too smart for that. Koloff wins a test of strength against Pedro but Morales starts to reverse it and monkey flips Koloff off. Koloff begs off again but gets in a side headlock. He rakes the eyes and goes for the bearhug. Morales gets a left hand in to break up the bearhug but Ivan collects himself, reapplying it. Morales somehow gets his arm underneath and scoop slams Koloff. Ivan kicks away and goes for another bearhug but Morales breaks free. Koloff unloads with right hands and shoulderblocks Pedro down. Morales tries to slam Ivan but his back gives out and Koloff lands on top for 1...2..no. Ivan misses a knee drop but scoop slams Pedro. Koloff goes for the top rope knee drop that beat Bruno but misses it. Pedro goes upstairs and hits a crossbody for 1...2...no. Koloff sends Pedro into the corner then to the other corner. He throws him into a third corner and hits a german suplex. Both men's shoulders are down for 1....2....Pedro gets his arm up....THREE! Its over! Pedro Morales is the new WWWF Heavyweight Champion. Koloff goes ballistic thinking he's won but the ref raises Pedro's arm instead. Bruno Sammartino hits the ring and raises Pedro's arm to signify the passing of the torch. The match itself was damn good for 1971 standards, it would have fit right in 10-12 years later.
Time of match: 23:18
Winner: Morales by pinfall (new WWWF unified Heavyweight Champion)
Well that looked like a fun card, too bad only one match is still in existence. Big changes were going on as Bruno dropped the belt to Koloff who dropped it to Pedro. Morales was going to be the next star in New York and this was his coming out party. Now Vince Sr had a dilemma because Pedro would be facing the same guys Bruno had so Vince had to import or elevate new heels for Pedro to compete against at the Garden. Definite a rematch with Koloff would be one of them but otherwise it was more of the same. Still, this was wrestling history of Pedro winning the championship.
No comments:
Post a Comment