Wrestlemania Count-Up – Wrestlemania III (2015 Redo): The Biggest of All Time
Wrestlemania III
Date: March 29, 1987
Location: Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan
Attendance: 93,173
Commentators: Jesse Ventura, Gorilla Monsoon
The wide shot of the stadium to open the show is still one of the best visuals in wrestling. This is what Wrestlemania is supposed to look like and it feels like one of the biggest events the company or industry has ever had.
Vince introduces Aretha Franklin for America the Beautiful.
The announcers, including celebrities Bob Uecker (baseball announcer) and Mary Hart (Entertainment Tonight anchor), talk for a bit. Uecker and Hart will only be around for a match here and there.
Can-Am Connection vs. Bob Orton/Magnificent Muraco
The Connection is the latest pretty boy tag team comprised of Tom Zenk and Rick Martel. Rick shoulders Muraco down to start and monkey flips him for two. You can definitely see a different style in this stadium setting as opposed to an arena. Everything breaks down to start and the villains are quickly dispatched to the floor for a meeting with manager Mr. Fuji.
Hercules vs. Billy Jack Haynes
Hercules uses his chain to bust Haynes open and then slaps on the full nelson.
King Kong Bundy/Lord Littlebrook/Little Tokyo vs. Hillbilly Jim/Little Beaver/Haiti Kid
Heenan gives the crown jewels to Fabulous Moolah (the Queen) to present to Race after the match.
Harley Race vs. Junkyard Dog
Post match Race sits in his chair and Dog bows, only to beat Race up with the chair in a move that draws cheers.
The Dream Team is ready for the Rougeau Brothers. Manager Luscious Johnny V: “Parlez-vous scrambled eggs?”
Fabulous Rougeau Brothers vs. Dream Team
Beefcake gets left behind as Johnny, Bravo and Valentine leave in the cart.
Piper says no retreat and no surrender.
Adonis promises to give Piper a haircut with some hedge clippers.
Roddy Piper vs. Adrian Adonis
Hair vs. hair and Adonis has Jimmy Hart with him. Adonis is a lot more serious and less effeminate than he was last year. Piper walks down the aisle with the biggest smile on his face. His hair is a bit longer as well to give him his better known look. They slug it out to start but Piper pulls out a belt to whip Adrian.
Adonis takes it away and whips Piper as Monsoon suddenly thinks this is unfair. Piper drags Jimmy in and whips the two of them together for a big crash. The crowd is losing it for this stuff as Piper is just crazy over. Hart trips Piper to take over though and Adonis knocks Piper to the floor. Back in and Piper says bring it on until Hart sprays cologne in his eyes.
Jimmy Hart says the Bulldogs and Tito Santana can have the war they want.
Hart Foundation/Danny Davis vs. British Bulldogs/Tito Santana
Jesse takes Matilda to the back and Bret crawls over to Neidhart to get away from Smith. A double headbutt puts Neidhart down and a backdrop makes it even worse. Neidhart opts to just punch Smith in the face, only to have Bret miss a middle rope elbow. Dynamite takes over again as this has been one sided so far. Neidhart breaks up a pin attempt and the Harts finally take over as Uecker tries to figure out why Jimmy Hart is all over the show.
Butch Reed vs. Koko B. Ware
Power vs. speed here and Butch has Slick in his corner. Koko speeds things up to start and dropkicks Reed to the floor but Butch forearms him in the back to take over. Rights and lefts stagger Butch but he rolls through a cross body and pulls the tights to pin Koko at 3:38.
Intercontinental Title: Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat
Ever the violent one, Savage elbows the damaged throat before dropping a knee to the chest for two. Some chops to the head get Steamboat out of trouble and Savage gets tied in the ropes. Things start getting fast as they run the ropes but Savage takes him down with a knee to the back. Savage makes the eternal mistake of trying to send Steamboat over the top and the Dragon skins the cat. Who came up with that term? It sounds horrible and really has nothing to do with pulling yourself back into a ring.
Steamboat and Steele leave with the title, followed by Savage who is nearly in tears. The visual of people riding the carts up the long aisle is very effective.
Honky Tonk Man promises to win and then sing. He promises that for years but almost never delivered on it.
Jake Roberts vs. Honky Tonk Man
Roberts starts fast and rips the white and gold (popular colors tonight) Elvis suit off. Honky Tonk tries to run as Gorilla and Jesse preview Alice Cooper vs. Jimmy Hart. Back in and Jake keeps punching away before the short clothesline looks to set up the DDT. The threat of a DDT sends Honky Tonk bailing to the floor. Thank goodness he changed the oil in his hair today or he might not have been able to escape. Roberts is sent into the post to give Honky Tonk control and a middle rope fist (ala Cousin Jerry) keeps Jake in trouble.
Killer Bees vs. Nikolai Volkoff/Iron Sheik
Rating: D+. They might as well have had a countdown clock telling us how much more time they had to kill before Hogan vs. Andre. This was another watchable but unremarkable match in a series of them tonight. This was much more about Duggan than anything else, which is fine considering Duggan would wind up being a bigger name than anyone else in the match.
Hogan hopes the world can handle the explosion coming in the main event.
The celebrity announcements are shorter this year with Uecker as ring announcer and Mary Hart as timekeeper.
WWF World Title: Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant
Some right hands have Andre stunned and you can see the sweat flying off his chest as Hogan chops away. Hogan rams him head first into the buckle over and over but charges into a boot to the face and Andre slaps on a bearhug. After a minute and a half in the hold, Hogan holds his arm up on the third drop and breaks it up with even more right hands (about 90% of his offense here). Andre is right back on offense though as he kicks Hogan to the floor, only to headbutt the post by mistake.
Ratings Comparison
Can-Am Connection vs. Bob Orton/Don Muraco
Original: B+
2013 Redo: B-
2015 Redo: C+
Billy Jack Haynes vs. Hercules
Original: C-
2013 Redo: D+
2015 Redo: C
Hillbilly Jim/Haiti Kid/Little Beaver vs. King Kong Bundy/Little Tokyo/Lord Littlebrook
Original: F
2013 Redo: D+
2015 Redo: D
Harley Race vs. Junkyard Dog
Original: D+
2013 Redo: D
2015 Redo: D
Rougeau Brothers vs. Dream Team
Original: D+
2013 Redo: C-
2015 Redo: D+
Roddy Piper vs. Adrian Adonis
Original: C+
2013 Redo: C+
2015 Redo: C+
Hart Foundation/Danny Davis vs. British Bulldogs/Tito Santana
Original: C
2013 Redo: C-
2015 Redo: D+
Koko B. Ware vs. Butch Reed
Original: N/A
2013 Redo: D
2015 Redo: D
Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat
Original: A+
2013 Redo: A+
2015 Redo: A+
Jake Roberts vs. Honky Tonk Man
Original: C
2013 Redo: C
2015 Redo: C-
Killer Bees vs. Iron Sheik/Nikolai Volkoff
Original: D
2013 Redo: C-
2015 Redo: D+
Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant
Original: A
2013 Redo: B
2015 Redo: D+
Overall Rating
Original: B+
2013 Redo: A+
2015 Redo: C+
Ok so I might have been a little enthusiastic about this show back in the day.
Here’s the original review if you’re interested:
And the 2013 Redo:
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