[1984-12-28-WWF-MSG, NY] Hulk Hogan vs The Iron Sheik

[peachchaos]

Hulk Hogan defends the WWF World Title --    aired on Japanese TV - 1/4/85; Prime Time Wrestling - 2/19/85

full version available on WWE's Top 50 Superstars of All Time DVD

Oh, what a difference a year makes. This match comes almost to the date of the anniversary of Sheik's screwjob title win, the angle that served as the creative catalyst for the decade. Only twelve months later, this resembles a different promotion. Howdy Doody is out; Hulkamania is in. The Three Wise Men are being outshined by Roddy Piper and Bobby Heenan. And Vince McMahon is going to put wrestling on the Moon. 

One thing I don't think Vince ever considered is just how over Sheik would get, not just as a result of the title change but in terms of the character as a commodity. Fans hated the man and flocked to arenas to see him get his ass kicked, whether is was by Hogan or Slaughter. Even decades later, people remember The Iron Sheik as WWF Champion. Maybe I'm reaching here, but I think Vince left some money on the table with the Sheik in 1984. But unfortunately, for Cos to garner Main Event heat again, he would have to get the strap back for a short time and that wasn't ever going to happen. So here we have Sheik's final MSG as a headliner. Interesting to note this is one of those rare occasions where the main event actually closed the show due to the Piper-Lauper angle earlier in the event which set up WrestleMania. 

Sheik interrupts Howard Finkle's introduction to get on the house mic and declare that Cindy Lauper got what she deserved. Amazing. Similar to the January match, but this time Sheik tries to jump the bell only to get bodyslammed as they both still have their entrance gear on. A lariat knocks Sheik's robe off and Hulk shreds and sheds. Backdrop driver. Big suplex. A pair of elbow drops from Hogan. Hulk bends for a backdrop but gets kicked with the pointed boot. Trademark release gut-wrench suplex from Sheik. Kicks to the back enable the Hulk-up. Powerslam. Legdrop. Pin. *1/2

Total squash as to be expected. Which is sad, there's no reason Hogan couldn't give more to the Sheik and work towards an epic brawl. Sheik moved onto JTTS and relegated to tag roles for the rest of his career. I'm not saying he deserved more, but there was a time and a place where fans reacted to him as the Darth Vader of wrestling. Vince would try that exact formula many times but never quite as effective.