My Favorite Events--WWF SummerSlam 1995

Twenty years. Two full decades. I won't lie and say that it feels like yesterday, because it honestly doesn't. It was the Summer of 1995 and the World Wrestling Federation was bringing a pay-per-view extravaganza to Pittsburgh for the first time. In those days before the WWF began taping shows in large arenas, we hadn't even had a Monday Night Raw in the 'Burgh. My one and only live wrestling experience to that point had been a WWF house show in early 1992. Despite lineups that appealed to me in the time between, we just didn't find time to go back. Now that SummerSlam was coming to the Pittsburgh Civic Arena, I knew that I had to be there.

Although the Internet was beginning its rush into mainstream consciousness, the way to get tickets was still largely restricted to a physical box office. The on-sale date was July 8th, a Saturday morning. We purchased our SummerSlam tickets at the TicketMaster location in the Kaufmann's department store in the Monroeville Mall. There weren't any living dead hanging around, but I'll always remember the girl in front of me in line. She appeared to be a few years older than me, but not by much. In her then-trendy halter top and overalls, she somehow convinced her father to purchase a front row ticket for her alone. As far back as we were in line, those ringside tickets must have been a small fortune as she did end up getting one. She is visible on the show itself, most notably during the ladder match entrances, clad in the famous Shawn Michaels "all-over" shirt. In my mind, she's still in those overalls. Regardless, I had my tickets and eagerly anticipated August 27, 1995.

That Spring and Summer had, in a way, introduced a new side of pro wrestling into my life. Growing up I'd had plenty of friends who liked wrestling, but none who truly loved it as I did. Occasionally one would get into it a bit deeper for a spell, but I was the only real consistent fan among those that I knew. Then came along cyberspace. I hesitate to use the term "Internet" again, as my first introduction to this much larger world was through something called a BBS, which stood for Bulletin Board System. These were small, independently owned and operated programs where you could chat, play games, send and receive e-mail, and share files. If you were remember the original America Online, picture that on a much smaller scale. Since you used your phone line through your computer to dial into these BBSes, you generally only joined local systems. It was through these BBSes that I got my first taste of just how things worked in wrestling (I'd always known the "predetermined" aspect) and finally met some fans who were just as hardcore as I was.

Chatting and sharing anticipation with these fellow Pittsburgh fans only helped to build the anticipation for SummerSlam. Somewhere along the line, I also learned that WWF Champion Diesel and WWF Women's Champion Alundra Blayze would be appearing the day before SummerSlam at a local Giant Eagle supermarket. Even when the business is an alleged slump, free autograph signings are usually packed. This was no exception. I left with a few autographs, some really cool promotional bumper stickers, and the feeling that Kevin "Diesel" Nash was sort of a jerk. He just didn't say anything. My opinions of him have since changed for the most part. On the flip side, Alundra "Madusa" Blayze was nice and cordial as she still is today. My dad caught a cool snapshot of me in my one second of eye contact with Nash.

The day of the show was fun, although there really wasn't much on the event itself that went unseen by the cameras. Waiting on the outside to get into the Civic Arena, one odd did thing did happen. For some inexplicable reason, The Fabulous Moolah made her way from the direction of the arena through the large crowd. An audible wave of "It's Moolah!" carried through the gathering of fans, but I've otherwise never learned anything more regarding her appearance.

Some alleged "fans" will tell you that the show was bad, but it wasn't. Even today it holds up, especially when put into perspective of the time. Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon had a superior ladder match to their overrated WrestleMania encounter, Diesel fought King Mabel in an attempt to recreate the Hogan magic formula of "Super Babyface Champion versus Monster Heel", and the rest of "The New Generation" rounded out a fun undercard. The show also saw my first live title change when Bertha Faye defeated Blayze and anytime you get to see Jinsei "Hakushi" Shinzaki wrestle live is a real treat.

The now very rare program was available as soon as we entered the building, and we immediately bought one. It's wider than a magazine, but not quite as long as other programs from that era. Shirts were also available, as was a cool laminated poster that my dad surprised me with after returning to our seats from a restroom break.

It was the beginning of a new era for wrestling in Pittsburgh, an area that had been largely ignored since the days of Bruno Sammartino. It was a very different WWF just three years later when The Undertaker flung Mankind off the top of Hell in a Cell. I was present for that too, with a unique perspective of the moment being eye-level with the top of the Cell. Still, there was something special about SummerSlam.

Without trying to sound too much like Kevin Arnold, it really was the beginning of my "wonder years." I was about to begin the seventh grade, I was beginning to see what the world was really about, and "overall girl" would be forgotten in favor of other females that were more than just a glimpse in a store line, even if they didn't care for wrestling. The Federation was running on "Diesel Power," and Pittsburgh truly "felt the heat."

Madusa "Blayzes" Her Way Into The WWE Hall Of Fame

We go over it every year. This person should go in, that person shouldn't. It's a never-ending argument with no basis on either side that ultimately results in one of the most memorable nights of the wrestling year. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the WWE Hall of Fame is fun. An industry that is based in entertainment should have an entertaining Hall of Fame. There are some wrestling Halls of Fame that look at drawing power and money made per wrestler and yet others that induct whoever is likely to show up for the ceremony. Regardless, the WWE Hall of Fame is the one that will always be looked at by the mainstream, regardless of politics

An interesting Class of 2015 is being assembled, including a posthumous "headline" induction for "Macho Man" Randy Savage. As of press time, the most recent announcement is the induction of Alundra "Madusa" Blayze. The former women's champion has been said to have been on speaking terms with WWE for a few years now, so her induction isn't quite as surprising as Bruno Sammartino or other stars who have been long estranged from WWE.

It's also no surprise that a certain moment was included in Blayze's Hall of Fame video package, that being the WCW Monday Nitro segment where the female grappler dropped the WWF Women's Championship into a trash can. The inclusion of that clip or of Blayze into the Hall of Fame itself should really shock no one. With their ownership of WCW and constant glorification of the "Monday Night War," WWE loves featuring and spotlighting an individual who starred in one of the most replayed moments of the era.

Madusa didn't do much headlining in WCW beyond the infamous belt drop, but she did have a storied career beforehand. A good female hand with a great look, Madusa competed in the AWA and Japan before becoming the WCW valet of Ravishing Rick Rude in 1991. The twosome was part of Paul (Heyman) E. Dangerously's "Dangerous Alliance" stable. Madusa eventually broke away from Heyman and left WCW shortly after.

In late 1993, the WWF revived their women's division with a tournament won by Madusa, now known as Alundra Blayze. Great matches were had with the likes of Luna Vachon, Heidi Lee Morgan, Bull Nakano, and Bertha Faye, but there just wasn't enough variation or time given to sustain a viable division. A little over two years later, the revival was over. Blayze, back to being Madusa, returned to WCW and made her famous Nitro appearance.

Following her wrestling career, Madusa made the successful transition to monster truck driver.  Her pink and white Madusa truck is featured at Monster Jam events worldwide and has been replicated as Hot Wheels toys of various sizes produced by Mattel. Now that Alundra Blayze is entering the Hall of Fame, perhaps that very same toy company will produce the first figure of the ladies legend? It's on my Hall of Fame figure wish list, for sure!

Alundra Blayze was actually the second wrestler that I ever met.  It was the night before SummerSlam 1995 (where she dropped the title to Faye) and a local Giant Eagle (Pittsburgh's favorite overpriced supermarket chain) was hosting an appearance featuring her and Diesel.  The line stretched through a service door and to the outside of the store. The line began to move, so everyone assumed that both champions were already inside. In the hallway inside of the service entrance, a woman put her hand on my mother's shoulder and said "Excuse me." Yep, apparently Alundra was a bit late. Even so, the women's champion seemed far happier to be there than "Big Daddy Cool."

Could that signing have featured two members of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2015?  We're only a WWE Tweet away from finding out!

Wrestling MarketWatch: The 1990s

I would have never thought that I'd be nostalgic for the 1990's.  For me, the really fun times were in the previous decade.  Although I was born in 1982, I consider myself a full-fledged '80s kid.  Nonetheless, the passage of time and some rose-colored glasses have finally made me yearn for a dose of the '90s.  In amongst the neon colors, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Crystal Pepsi, there were some fun times in wrestling and plenty of memorabilia to reflect that.

It would be hard to collect wrestling memorabilia and not own something from the '90s.  Action figures, trading cards, magazines, programs, t-shirts, and videos dominated the market.  Because of the large amount of items and the beginning of a collectors consciousness to save, much of this merchandise can be obtained for about the original retail price.  Other items from the decade are still in high demand and, for various reasons, have risen in value.  We're about to take a look at a handful of these '90s wrestling treasures and their recent sale prices.

*The decade began with two wrestling action figure lines, WWF from Hasbro and WCW from Galoob.  The WWF line lasted until late 1994, while Galoob only made a single series in the United States.  A second series featuring several new wrestlers (as well as repaints from the first series) was released in the U.K.  Of these figures, one of the coolest was Michael P.S. Hayes.  The founding member of the Fabulous Freebirds was in a flashy "glam rock" period of his career and this figure reflects that.  A loose example of this figure, my favorite of Hayes, recently sold for $71.50.

*Figures weren't just released in small sizes.  Larger figures were also produced, often with a gimmick attached.  Multi Corp released several water-based WWF toys, including water pumper figures of The Ultimate Warrior and Hulk.Hogan.  Both figures have much more detail than water toys have any right to.  If they had been a few inches shorter, they would have fit right in with the Hasbro line considering the great likenesses.  Their only drawback was a rounded foot design that made them impossible to stand, but after all, they were just essentially water pistols.  A loose Ultimate Warrior recently sold for $10.

*Who said that the advent of WWE Network would kill VHS and DVD prices?  Not me!  For the most part, I've been right.  There will always been an uncertainty with streaming.  You don't have that with tangible media, and the demand is still there.  The 1990's WCW Turner Home Videos have always been popular, and titles like Beach Blast 1992 are still commanding $30 and more.  Is it the Ricky Steamboat-Rick Rude Iron Man Challenge Match or the Missy Hyatt-Madusa Bikini Contest that is still drawing fans?  You decide!

*One event that has yet to show up on WWE Network is the Slammy Awards.  Although they have been an annual part of Raw over the past few years, the ceremonies were irregularly held in the 1980's and 1990's. The 1996 and 1997 events were held in conjunction with WrestleMania in the slot that the Hall of Fame ceremony occupies today.  These 1990's Slammy ceremonies had programs given out at the event. Both programs have the Slammy Award design embossed on the cover.  Though rarely seen, one of each recently sold for a bargain price of $22.50 per program.

*Hasbro is probably the best remembered WWF licensee of the decade, but their products weren't solely limited to figures.  The company marketed a number of roleplaying items that enabled children to "become" their favorite WWF Superstars.  One such item that had a relatively short shelf-life was Jake Roberts' Snake toy.  Although it was marketed simply as Jake's snake, the toy was released around the transition between Damien and Lucifer.  The toy snake even included the famous drawstring bag that held Jake's reptilian friend. A boxed example recently sold for $56.

A variety of items from a decade that offered a variety of wrestling choices.  It would be my guess that demand for these items will only rise, as children of the era who let go of their items at some point are looking to get them back.  The rise in popularity of the Hasbro WWF toys is a big example of this.  As vast as the wrestling of the decade was, I'm sure that we'll revisit this time, and its merchandise, again for another edition of MarketWatch!