Wrestlemania Count-Up – Wrestlemania III: The Biggest Match In The History Of Professional Wrestling
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III
Date: March 29, 1987
Location: Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan
Attendance: 93,173
Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon, Jesse Ventura
Aretha Franklin sings America the Beautiful.
Gorilla and Jesse are with celebrities Bob Uecker and Mary Hart.
Can-Am Connection vs. Don Muraco/Bob Orton
Bob gets hit from one corner to the other until Zenk takes him down with an armbar. All Connection so far. They trade full nelsons and Muraco hits Orton by mistake for two. Bob gets his arm cranked on a bit until FINALLY making the tag out to Muraco. The bad luck continues for the heels as Don is slammed down and has his arm worked on as well.
We recap Hercules vs. Billy Jack Haynes which is the battle of the full nelson.
Heenan and Hercules say about what you would expect them to say.
Hercules vs. Billy Jack Haynes
This is power vs. power so expect some pretty weak chemistry. Hebner tries to get in between them in the corner which is more than a referee should do. Haynes hits a press slam but Hercules bails to the corner to avoid the full nelson. Hercules comes back with a big old clothesline and both guys are down already. A backdrop puts Haynes down and Herc pounds on the back a bit. This is very slow paced compared to the opener.
Post match Hercules blasts Haynes with his chain a few times and busts him open.
The other team says the exact opposite.
Hillbilly Jim/Little Beaver/Haiti Kid vs. King Kong Bundy/Lord Littlebrook/Little Tokyo
Even the heel midgets turn on Bundy for what he did. Jim carries out Little Beaver ala Superman and Supergirl.
Harley Race vs. Junkyard Dog
Dog bows to Race but then blasts him with a chair and steals the robe.
Dream Team vs. Rougeau Brothers
Rating: C-. This was all angle rather than the match. The Rougeaus were a talented team and looked solid out there while the Dream Team looked like a relic of the past. Thankfully this would be the end for them as Bravo would replace Beefcake immediately, although the New Dream Team never went anywhere.
Valentine, Bravo and Johnny V (short for Valentine but shortened to avoid confusion) leave Beefcake behind.
Roddy Piper vs. Adrian Adonis
Piper comes right back by sending Adrian into the corner for Flair Flip to the floor. Both Adonis and Hart get pulled back in and Piper rams them together to send them back outside. Back in again and Piper throws Hart off the top and onto Adonis but Jimmy FINALLY gets something right by tripping Roddy down.
Post match Adonis gets his hair cut and punches a mirror. Roddy gets his big sendoff.
Jesse is introduced to the crowd before the next match to annoy Gorilla.
Hart Foundation/Danny Davis vs. British Bulldogs/Tito Santana
Butch Reed vs. Koko B. Ware
Tito runs in and beats up Slick, ripping off his “expensive” suit. A double dropkick sends Reed to the floor.
Steamboat says this is their destiny and the Dragon is going to scorch Savage’s back. This promo still gives me chills.
Intercontinental Title: Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat
Back in and Savage gets in his first shot before sending Ricky into the buckle. Steamboat immediately comes back by grabbing the wrist and lifting Savage into the air. Savage comes back with an elbow to the face before sending Steamboat over the top and out to the floor. Randy starts going after the throat but has to stop to try to get his left arm working again. Steamboat sends him into the buckle and chops away, sending Savage into the ropes.
Honky Tonk Man vs. Jake Roberts
Rating: C. You could see the Honky Tonk Man character coming on here as Jake was way better but got cheated at the end. Honky would ride that one idea for the next year and a half, drawing WAY more money and heat than he had any right to earn. Jake would feud with various heels for the next few months while being one of the many challengers to chase Honky. He finally got with Rick Rude for an awesome string of matches.
Post match Honky is chased off and Jimmy gets covered by Damien the snake.
Nikolai Volkoff/Iron Sheik vs. Killer Bees
WWF World Title: Andre the Giant vs. Hulk Hogan
Hulk fights back up with some forearms into the head. A running elbow staggers the Giant and Hogan sends him head first into the buckle ten times, only to charge into a boot to slow things right back down again. We hit the bearhug and Hogan is in trouble. This lasts for a LONG while until Hogan punches his way out of it, possibly hurting his hand in the process. Hulk rams into him a few times but charges into a chop to put Hogan down again. A boot to the ribs knocks Hulk to the floor but Andre headbutts the post. Hogan tries a piledriver of all things but is easily backdropped down.
Hogan poses for a long time as Heenan leaves with his head in his hands, wondering where it all went wrong.
Ratings Comparison
Can-Am Connection vs. Don Muraco/Bob Orton
Original: B+
Redo: B-
Billy Jack Haynes vs. Hercules
Original: C-
Redo: D+
Hillbilly Jim/Haiti Kid/Little Beaver vs. King Kong Bundy/Little Tokyo/Lord Littlebrook
Original: F
Redo: D+
Harley Race vs. Junkyard Dog
Original: D+
Redo: D
Dream Team vs. Rougeau Brothers
Original: D+
Redo: C-
Roddy Piper vs. Adrian Adonis
Original: C+
Redo: C+
Hart Foundation/Danny Davis vs. Tito Santana/British Bulldogs
Original: C
Redo: C-
Butch Reed vs. Koko B. Ware
Original: N/A
Redo: D
Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage
Original: A+
Redo: A+
Jake Roberts vs. Honky Tonk Man
Original: C
Redo: C
Killer Bees vs. Iron Sheik/Nikolai Volkoff
Original: D
Redo: C-
Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant
Original: A
Redo: B
Overall Rating
Original: B+
Redo: A+
It still holds up.
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