This Day In Wrestling History - October 10

Date: October 10, 1999 (14 years ago)

Feature: One of the worst wrestling PPVs of all-time, "Heroes of Wrestling," took place 14 years ago featuring an infamous performance by Jake "the Snake" Roberts. Roberts has since turned his life around with help from DDP Yoga, but Roberts joined a host of wrestling legends putting on alarming performances on this nostalgia PPV...

Torch Back-Issue: PWTorch Newsletter #571.

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HEROES OF WRESTLING PPV
October 10, 1999
Bay St. Louis, Miss.
Report by Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

Randy Rosenbloom and Dirty Dutch Mantell introduced the event from ringside.

(1) The Samoan Swat Team (Fatu & Samu, w/Paul Adams) defeated Tommy Rogers & Marty Jannetty when Samu pinned Jannetty at 9:58. SST manager Adams did mic work before the match, ripping on fans for not having "a big enough pair" to step into the ring and wrestle the SST. He said the fans therefore live vicariously through wrestlers. It didn't take long for the obtrusive Casino Magic sign set on the edge of the ring apron to tip over and get in the way. Jannetty looked to be in tremendous shape with less body fat than at any time in his career. The SST, as you'd expect, had gained weight since the last time they were on national TV. The first five minutes was mostly stalling which did nothing to build crowd heat. At 7:30 Fatu nailed Jannetty with a chair at ringside. At 8:50 Jannetty hot-tagged Rogers. Rogers gave Fatu a dropkick off the ropes which the announcer called a "flying leg kick" (as opposed to a flying arm kick, apparently). Rogers gave both SST members a DDt at once and Jannetty followed up with a double bulldog. They then hit a double dropkick. As Jannetty followed Fatu to ringside, Samu caught Rogers with a facebuster for the pin. Almost no wrestling, and not enough of anything else to make up for it. The first half of the match was especially excruciatingly slow. (DUD)

They showed Sensational Sherri and George Steele checking into their hotel room together. Rosenbloom said there was speculation that there was more than a professional relationship between Sherri and Steele. Michael St. John interviewed Sherri and Steele before the match. Steele did his '80s Animal persona.

(2) Greg Valentine pinned George "The Animal" Steele (w/Sherri) at 6:47. Over the house mic before the match Valentine said the fans should give a legend like himself a standing ovation. He said he'd leave the ring with Sherri. Steele bit Valentine's arm early in the match. Valentine pulled Steele's shirt over his head and stomped away at him in the corner. Sherri choked Steele and raked his eyes while his face was covered. Steele used a foreign object against Valentine to take over offense. Sherri cheered on Steele to make him think she was still on his side. Since Steele didn't know Sherri had turned on him, when he was done with the foreign object, he gave it back to Sherri for safe keeping. Of course, later Sherri gave the object to Valentine to use against Steele. Sherri caressed Steele, then nailed him from behind with a chair. Valentine then covered Steele for the win. Sherri hugged Valentine after the match. Steele ran into the ring and threw Sherri over the top rope. Sherri and Valentine fled to the back. Steele tore up turnbuckle pads after the match.Valentine returned to the ring and hit Steele with a chair. Steele no-sold it. Sherri's chairshot earlier KO'd Steele for the pin, so I guess Sherri throws a stiffer chairshot than Valentine. Mildly entertaining for what it was. Valentine took two half-hearted bumps, otherwise there were no wrestling moves of any kind. What would you expect, though. Rosenbloom said Steele wants a rematch and wants his girl back. He then thought better of his inane comment and said, "Maybe he won't want that girl back." (1/4*)

(3) Too Cold Scorpio pinned Julio Fantastico at 9:36. St. John interviewed Fantastico before the match. Fantastico, the youngest wrestler on the card by far, cut a heel promo. Rosenbloom said Scorpio is a wrestler who maybe doesn't get enough respect and deserves more notoriety. Coming from a guy who doesn't know what a dropkick is, that analysis doesn't carry a lot of weight. Lou Albano walked to ringside before the match and joined Rosenbloom and Mantel. Albano, as usual, was unbearably overbearing with overstatements. Mantel said Fantastico (who Albano referred to by his previous ring name Julio Sanchez during the match) says he is to wrestling as Michael Jordan is to basketball. Scorpio's physique was a notch below where it used to be, although he was never especially cut. Scorpio nailed a top rope flip legdrop but overshot on his Tumbleweed finisher, then scored an immediate three count. A little choppy, but Fantastico showed good athleticism and intensity. (*3/4)

Rosenbloom read a statement by Fosstone Productions that Lou Albano was being appointed the commissioner. Albano accepted and said he was honored. He called the event "the greatest production of all-time." Albano pulled out a hanky and began an exaggerated crying routine.

(4) The Bushwackers beat Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff (w/Nikita Bresnikov) at 7:00. Iron Sheik wore a weight lifting belt underneath his ample belly which made him look 10 months pregnant. Sheik swung his clubs and Volkoff sang the Soviet National Anthem. Rosenbloom referred to Butch as Dutch. Dutch Mantel took exception. Luke and Butch licked fans' faces at ringside. They found several ways to stall for the three minutes. This match was ugly from start to finish. Let me clarify. Because of their ages, it was much uglier than usual for these two teams. In the end, Volkoff accidentally hit Sheik with a foreign object leading to the pin. Sheik and Volkoff argued briefly, then made up and hugged. (neg. *)

They showed footage of Blanchard arriving at the arena. St. John wanted to interview Blanchard, but Lane attacked Blanchard from behind. Lane shoved him into the trunk of his car. Security intervened. Blanchard gave a very good interview backstage afterward. He said he was having a flashback and was feeling the intensity he felt when he feuded with Dusty Rhodes, Wahoo McDaniel, Road Warriors, Demolition, and The Rockers. He said he has been gone and subdued for awhile, but Lane has him worked up again. He said the only reason Lane was ever a world champion was because he was partners with Bobby Eaton and had Jim Cornette as his manager. He said anybody who has ever screwed him or done him wrong is coming out in the match. He said the negative feelings he had in past years for people like Jim Herd and the people who sign the contracts in the WWF and WCW are going to be taken out on him. He said Lane would find out what being a Horseman is about.

(5) Tully Blanchard beat Stan Lane at 7:03. Lane, with spiked blond hair (including the benefits of hair plugs), came to the ring and cut a promo. He ran down his title history and then demanded a better introduction than the ring announcer gave him. He bragged about becoming a broadcaster for ESPN (a boat racing show), so he introduced himself. Dutch said he sounds better than Michael Buffer. His current look is that of a guy in his mid-40s striving to look like he's in his late-20s. As Blanchard walked to the ring, Lane cut a promo on him. When Lane danced a little bit in the ring, Rosenbloom said, "The ladies like that." Dutch said, "Some guys like it, too." Rosenbloom said, "I don't think we should go there." A few minutes later Rosenbloom continued to talk about how enamored the women in the crowd were with Lane's physique. Dutch said, "I think you have a thing for him, too, Randy." They worked an '80s style match (not surprisingly) and didn't try anything they couldn't do. The finish was very flat with Lane hitting a back suplex into a bridge. Blanchard bridged up but Lane's shoulders were down. Lane thought he won, then threw a fit when the ref raised Blanchard's arm. (*)

(6) One Man Gang fought Abdullah the Butcher (mgd. by Honest John Cheatum) to a DCO at 7:34. Abby was bleeding within the first minute from OMG's use of a chain. At 4:20 a very bloody Abby began his comeback. Thirty seconds later OMG bladed and quickly caught up to Abby in terms of lost blood. They exchanged chairshots and punches for seven minutes, then fought at ringside for the double countout. OMG gave a security staffer a shot with a chair.

They aired a skit of Orton and Albano playing cards. Orton cheated and a brawl broke out between him and another card player as Albano cheered on. St. John then interviewed Snuka and Albano. If Snuka hadn't blink, you would have thought it was a wax figure of Snuka.

(7) "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka pinned "Cowboy" Bob Orton at 11:43. Orton had a bigger gut, Snuka was much less toned, and in general they wrestled like two 50 year olds. From 3:30 to 7:00 Orton had an armlock applied to Snuka. Orton then applied a hammerlock for another 90 seconds. Orton set up the superplex. Albano held Snuka's ankles so Orton fell to the mat alone. Snuka then hit a bodyblock off the top rope for the pin. Not only bad wrestling, but not even slightly entertaining. (neg. *)

(8) Jake "The Snake" Roberts fought Jim Neidhart to a no contest at 9:50. The match flowed without a finish into a tag team match. (neg. ***)

(9) King Kong Bundy & Jim Neidhart beat Jake Roberts & Yokozuna when Bundy pinned Roberts at 5:36. Just a disaster of a match with Jake nearly passing out and Yokozuna, due to his larger-than-ever size, unable to contribute, either. A smaller Bundy look-alike received a Yokozuna back splash after the match. Jake then put the snake on top of the guy. (neg. ***)

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