Message-ID: 


"NJROB65"  wrote in message
news:20030218174507.14846.00000397{at}mb-cc.aol.com...
> I was wondering if any wrestlers faced the three champions listed above
for the
> WWF titles.  The leading candidates are listed below:
>
> Stan Hansen-  Broke Sammartino's neck in 1976, I believe he faced Backlund
> during a brief WWF stnt in 1980, I don't believe he ever appeared in the
WWF
> again, may have faced Hogan in Japan, but I'm not sure.
>

Hansen faced Hogan on a WWF tour in Japan as part of the Main Event (and
yes, there are tapes of his circulating). Hogan legdropped and pinned
Hansen.

> Antonio Inoki-  Defeated Backlund for the title in Japan, although it was
never
> acknowledged in the US.  May have faced Sammartino and Hogan in Japan, but
I
> possess no proof.

I can't confirm or deny this, I don't know if Inoki ever faced Hogan. I
BELEIVE he faced Bruno, though.

>
> Greg Valentine- Definitely faced Backlund, I thought he faced Sammartino
in
> 1974, but I'm far from certain.  Wrestled mostly in tag teams during
Hogan's
> reign but may have received a title shot or two.
>

Yep, Hogan pinned Valentine, I believe it was either a televised match or I
saw it back when MSG televised cards from Madison Square Garden.

> Nicolai Volkoff- Received title shots against Sammartino, possibly against
> Backlund, although I can't vouch for it, wrestled mostly in tag teams
(Iron
> Sheik and Boris Zhukov) during the Hogan era, but possibly was granted at
least
> one title shot against Hogan.
>

Saturday Night's Main Event!! Hogan defeated Nicolai (in the first wrestling
card on tv I EVER saw :))

> Ken Patera- IIRC,opposed both Sammartino and Backlund.  Competed in the
WWF
> during Hogan's reign but was a lower- midcard face and I doubt he took on
> Hogan.

Patera was part of Bobby Heenan's stable, so he sure did face him. In fact,
one of the WWF best of tapes has a handi-cap match, Hogan and Andre vs
Patera, Adonis and I think it was either Ventura or Studd.

>
> Superstar Graham- Won the championship from Sammartino and dropped it to
> Backlund.  Briefly returned to the WWF as a face during Hogan's era, but
was
> "injured" by Butch Reed and someone else and wrestled only a
handful of
matches
> afterwards and never opposed Hogan.
>

Graham never faced Hogan.

> Geoge "The Animal" Steele- Steele was a perennial title
contender; facing
Pedro
> Morales, Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund.  He did wrestle in the Hogan
era,
> but as a face, feuding with Randy Savage over his(Steele's) crush on Miss
> Elizabeth, also had that hideous dooll he named Mine.  He possibly turned
face
> later then I remembered and did take on Hogan for the title, but I tend to
> doubt it.

He was initially a heel during Hogan-era, and yes, faced him on house shows.
I remember seeing one.

>
> Ivan Koloff- Won the The WWWF Chamionship from Sammartino in 1971,
promptly
> lost it to Morales about a month later.  Definitely faced Backlund for the
> title.  AFAIK, he was never in the WWF during the Hogan Era and it's a
longshot
> he opposed him in Japan.
>

NOpe, never faced Hogan.

On an off-topic note, for those older fans on here who still play video
games, doesn't Legends of Wrestling II RULE?? You can have all these matches
and more.

In my game, Bret Hart has faced all three of these guys as has Sabu and
Killer Kowalski :)

Mark


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