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Nostalgia plays a huge part for any wrestling fan. Adult fans can always remember when it was so much larger than life for them and played out like epic comic book superheroes vs. villains.
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This is one of those shows and eras for me, harking back to the days when WWF video tapes would come in oversize boxes and, no matter the title, sold for $39.95 apiece, making trips to Blockbuster a regular necessity.
WrestleMania VII doesn’t get a ton of talk in regards to the greatest WrestleManias of all time. Some don’t like the fact nearly everyone on the roster made the show. I personally love that, even if it does mean the matches tend to be shorter and less eventful. I think the more matches on the show, a bigger deal that show comes across as. And there is an all time classic (Savage/Warrior) and a handful of forgotten gems (Harts/Nastys) among the supercard.
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WrestleMania VII – Los Angeles, CA – Sports Arena – March 24, 1991 (15,500)
Koko B. Ware pinned the Brooklyn Brawler
Pay-per-view bouts – included Willie Nelson performing the National Anthem to begin the broadcast; featured Gorilla Monsoon & Bobby Heenan on commentary, with Jim Duggan dressed as Uncle Sam covering for Heenan for the opening match; included Sean Mooney conducting a backstage interview with Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty regarding their upcoming match against the Barbarian & Haku; featured Gene Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with Regis Philbin, Marla Maples, and Alex Trebeck; included Mooney conducting a backstage interview with the Warlord and Slick regarding Warlord’s upcoming match against Davey Boy Smith; featured Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with Smith, with Winston, regarding the upcoming match; included Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with the Nasty Boys and Jimmy Hart regarding the Nastys’ upcoming match against WWF Tag Team Champions Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart; featured Mooney conducting a backstage interview with Hart & Neidhart regarding the upcoming title defense; included a video package highlighting the feud between Jake Roberts and Rick Martel; featured a pre-taped promo by Roberts regarding his upcoming blindfold match with Martel; included Maples conducting a backstage interview with the new WWF Tag Team Champions the Nasty Boys in which they celebrated and drank champagne with Jimmy Hart, Earthquake, the Mountie, and Dino Bravo; featured a video package highlighting the feud between the Ultimate Warrior and Randy Savage; included Philbin conducting a backstage interview with the Undertaker & Paul Bearer, during which Taker took measurements of Philbin as thought they were preparing a casket for him; featured Trebeck conducting a backstage interview with Mr. Fuji & Demolition; included Philbin conducting a backstage interview with Genichiro Tenryu & Koji Kitao, with neither man answering Philbin’s questions but responding when he said Toyota, Izuzu, and Columbia Pictures; the duo then asked if Katie Lee was around; featured Trebeck conducting a backstage interview with Roberts, with Damien, with Damien eventually scaring Trebeck off; featured a pre-taped debate on instant replay with George Steinbrenner and Paul McGuire, moderated by Vince McMahon; the debate was inspired by Randy Savage costing the Ultimate Warrior the world title at the Royal Rumble; during the segment, the Bushwhackers were portrayed as referees that were tied up in video film while trying to make a call; included Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with the Big Bossman regarding his upcoming match against WWF IC Champion Mr. Perfect; featured Mooney conducting a backstage interview with Perfect & Heenan regarding Perfect’s title defense against Bossman; included Mooney conducting a backstage interview with the Legion of Doom regarding their upcoming match with Hercules & Paul Roma in which they claimed they should have received the tag team title shot and would go after the Nasty Boys after they were down with Power & Glory; featured a video package highlighting the feud between Virgil and Ted Dibiase; included Mooney conducting a backstage interview with WWF World Champion Sgt. Slaughter and Gen. Adnan about the upcoming title defense against Hulk Hogan, during which Slaughter reviewed his recent altercations with Hogan and teased that he might get himself counted-out or disqualified in order to keep the title; featured Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with Hogan regarding his upcoming title match, during which footage was shown of Slaughter & Adnan recently attacking Hogan and taunting him with the title belt; a young Chris Kanyon was in attendance:
Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty defeated the Barbarian & Haku (w/ Bobby Heenan) at 10:33 when Michaels pinned Haku with a crossbody off the top following a missile dropkick by Jannetty; after the bout, Heenan joined Gorilla Monsoon on commentary for the remainder of the show
Kerry Von Erich pinned Dino Bravo (w/ Jimmy Hart) at 3:11 with the Tornado Punch after catching Bravo coming off the top and applying the claw
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Davey Boy Smith pinned the Warlord (w/ Slick) at 8:14 by powering out of the full nelson, avoiding the Warlord’s running powerslam, and hitting his own running powerslam
The Nasty Boys (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart to win the titles at 12:10 when Knobs pinned Neidhart after Sags hit Neidhart with Jimmy Hart’s motorcyle helmet behind the referee’s back, moments after the champions executed the Hart Attack (WrestleMania’s Greatest Matches Vol. 2, The Bret Hart Story: The Best There Is, Was, and Ever Will Be)
Jake Roberts pinned Rick Martel at 8:33 in a blindfold match following the DDT; after the bout, Roberts stomped on Martel’s Atomizer before scaring him out of the ring with Damien
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The Undertaker (w/ Paul Bearer) pinned Jimmy Snuka at 4:19 with the tombstone after catching Snuka as he attempted a slingshot into the ring (SuperTape 92, The Undertaker: 15-0)
The Ultimate Warrior pinned Randy Savage (w/ Sensational Sherri) in a retirement match at 20:46 with one foot on his chest following three flying shoulder blocks, each of which knocked Savage to the floor; midway through the bout, the Warrior kicked out after sustaining five flying elbowsmashes from Savage and, moments later, Savage kicked out of the press slam / splash combo by the Warrior; prior to the bout, Miss Elizabeth was seen sitting in the audience; after the match, Sherri threw referee Earl Hebner out of the ring, verbally berated Savage, and began kicking him until Elizabeth jumped the rail, ran ringside, and threw Sherri to the floor; moments later, Savage came to his senses and thought Elizabeth was the one who was beating on him only to quickly realize it was Sherri; after a brief pause, with Elizabeth clearly crying, Savage and Elizabeth embraced; on their way out of the ring, Savage held the ropes open for Elizabeth before taking a final bow (Elizabeth’s first appearance in 9 months) (WrestleMania: The Greatest Hits, Best of the WWF: WrestleMania, The Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior, Macho Madness: The Ultimate Randy Savage Collection, The True Story of WrestleMania)
Genichiro Tenryu & Koji Kitao defeated Demolition Smash & Crush (w/ Mr. Fuji) at 4:43 when Tenryu pinned Smash with a powerbomb (Tenryu & Kitao’s debut)
The Big Bossman defeated WWF IC Champion Mr. Perfect (w/ Bobby Heenan) via disqualification at 10:45 when Haku and the Barbarian interfered; late in the bout, Andre the Giant came ringside to prevent interference from Bobby Heenan; while stalking Heenan around the ring, Andre ended up hitting Perfect in the face with the title belt; after the bout, Andre fought off Perfect, Haku, and the Barbarian on the floor before shaking hands with Bossman in the aisle and raising his hand in victory; Lord Alfred Hayes did guest commentary for the bout, subbing for Heenan (Andre’s first appearance in a year)
Earthquake (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned Greg Valentine at 3:17 with an elbow drop and the sit-down splash after Valentine became distracted by Hart as he attempted the figure-4; prior to the bout, Gene Okerlund conducted an interview in the arena with Donald Trump, Chuck Norris, Henry Winkler, and Lou Ferigno in the crowd; after the bout, Earthquake attempted a second sit-down splash but Valentine rolled out of the ring
The Legion of Doom defeated Paul Roma & Hercules (w/ Slick) at the 58-second mark when Road Warrior Animal pinned Roma following the Doomsday Device after catching Roma coming off the top and hitting a powerslam
Virgil (w/ Roddy Piper) defeated Ted Dibiase via count-out at 7:37 when Dibiase began attacking Piper’s injured leg on the floor after Piper used his crutch to pull down the top rope, with Dibiase falling to the floor; after the match, Dibiase applied the Million $ Dream on Virgil inside the ring until Piper pulled himself into the ring and hit Dibiase over the back with the crutch; moments later, Piper prepared to hit Dibiase a second time but Sensational Sherri came to the ring and grabbed the weapon, distracting Piper long enough for Dibiase to attack him from behind and repeatedly hit Piper’s leg with the weapon; Virgil eventually cleared the ring with the crutch; after Dibiase and Sherri left ringside, Piper refused any help getting to his feet, with Virgil eventually encouraging Piper to fight the pain and get to his feet (Sherri’s debut with Dibiase)
The Mountie (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned Tito Santana at 1:20 by using his shock stick to shock Santana in the stomach
Hulk Hogan pinned WWF World Champion Sgt. Slaughter (w/ Gen. Adnan) to win the title at 20:23 with the legdrop after a boot to the face; in the final moments of the match, Slaughter laid the Iraqi flag across the challenger, went to cover him, and Hogan kicked out and Hulked up, which then led to the finish; Regis Philbin did guest commentary for the match; Alex Trebeck was the guest ring announcer and introduced both participants; Marla Maples was the guest time keeper for the bout; in footage not seen on the pay-per-view but later aired on Prime Time Wrestling two days later, Gene Okerlund attempted to interview Hogan backstage immediately following the bout but Hogan was attacked in his locker room by Sgt. Slaughter, sustaining a fireball to the face before being beaten down with a steel chair (Hulkamania 6, The Best of the WWF: Hulkamania, WWF Champion Hulk Hogan’s Greatest Matches, WrestleMania: The Greatest Hits, The Greatest Superstars of WrestleMania, Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology)
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