WWWF Championship Wrestling

"WWF Championship Wrestling" was the original TV show of the World Wrestling Federation. "Championship Wrestling" featured all the stars of the WWF, interviews and championship matches. The show lasted from 1978-1986.

History

Run in syndication

This was the first WWF program to be shown on national broadcast television. Vince McMahon built the syndicated network in part by persuading local stations to pay for the rights to air the program. Stations like KPLR-TV in St. Louis and KHJ-TV (now KCAL) in Los Angeles reportedly paid $100,000 to air the show. ["Sports Illustrated", March 18, 1985 issue, Hogan on the cover]

In it's early years the show was taped at the Allentown Agricultural Hall in Allentown, PA. In 1984 the tapings were moved to the Mid Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, New York where the show was taped weekly until 1986 when it become WWF Superstars and they begun taping in big arenas.

Notable title changes

* Tony Atlas and Rocky Johnson beating Wild Samoans for the tag team titles in the fall of 1983.
* Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch shocked the wrestling world by upsetting Tony Atlas and Rocky Johnson for the tag team titles in April 1984.
* Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo beating Nikolai Volkoff and The Iron Sheik for the tag team titles in 1985.

Notable moments

This show introduced "Piper's Pit" hosted by Rowdy Roddy Piper, and in late 1983, Hulk Hogan made his return to the World Wrestling Federation by appearing on this show after spending time with the AWA.

In the summer of 1985, Randy Savage introduced his new manager, which turned out to be at the time his wife Elizabeth.

Announcers

*Vince McMahon and Pat Patterson (1980-1984)
*Vince McMahon and Gene Okerlund (1984)
*Vince McMahon and Bruno Sammartino (1984-1986)

Theme music

From 1984 to 1986, the theme of "Championship Wrestling" was an instrumental version of Michael Jackson's "Thriller", with footage of Hulk Hogan winning the WWF title from the Iron Sheik.

References