Every time Saturday Nights Main Event was on i was glued to the edge of my set my favorite wrestlers Hulk Hogan, Jake the Snake, Macho Man, Ted Dibaise it was one of those WWE programs thats didn't have a weekly event but when it came on you were excited always loved when they had the Main Event first than went down the card unique and different favorite Match of all time has to be Macho Man Vs Honky Tonk Man a great storyline and amazing drama really helped Honky tonk man prove he could stick in the Main Events also the British Bulldogs Jake the snake and Rick rude feud Andre and Hogan in the Main event still the highest WWE Event on Reg TV! between 85-90 SNME was a hit i think it didn't give enough excitement in the later years 91-92 were my least favorite than it faded out the new versions were terrible it didn't have the same energy or excitement i think all in all if you want to see great matches storytelling and get high doses of nostalgia you need to look no further than Saturday Nights Main Event!
5 Reviews
Best wrestling program ever! Enjoyed and grew up on as a kid!
blanbrn6 April 2019
Remember growing up in the 80's and was a big wrestling fan, enjoyed the character and circuit that the "WWF" had and time to time every few months the league would put on a late night prime show at 11:30PM a special type on "NBC". Being young and to little to stay up late I would record the event on my VCR and watch later with great excitement it was like opening up a "Christmas" gift! And the shows did not let me down as the matches were top notch with feuds and grudges and it was hosted by the team of Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura. Featured in all shows was Hulk Hogan mostly in the main event as always the championship would be on the line! Plus from time to time a cage match or tag team match would be featured. And the before the match interviews always got everything in the mood. This was so classic "World Wrestling Federation Entertainment" that it is an everlasting gem classic memory for me!
When W W F was prime time!
mm-391 July 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Before the wrestling factories took over and all the scripts, and actors started looking the same. Wrestlers where learning their acts and moves on reservations, community centers, bars, and small town festivals. The wrestlers learned from the crowds whats acts, characters, and maneuvers worked. Wrestlers reflected their communities back then. In the 80's wrestling could get away with some of the humor and sterotypes that today's offend life styles would just lose it. But the diverse body types, characters, and character flaws where great for a wild show. Jake Robberts, Hulk, Bobby H, and the rest put on a great show. The interviews are classically off the cut and raw. Jessie the Body and Vince where great adding commentary for a colorful show. Yes there was the usual and predictable misplaced folding metal chair, referee interference, the female manager with the hair spray skits. I watched repeats an Saturday Night's Main Event is still funny and not dated. Today's, wrestling is so controlled; You just don't get that wild West ad hock wrestling. 8 stars.
"Gruntin', Groanin' and Grabbin' Ratins at the same time ain't easy as it looks!"
redryan647 September 2007
The appeal of Pro Wrestling as a hybrid Sports/Theatrical event is very old. Even as far back as the 1880's, different Vaudeville Theatrical circuits would book a well known Wrestler or Boxer as a featured, between big bouts 'Act.' In some cases, such as the Russian Lion, Georges Hackenschmidt, the appearance would include some ex-positional poses that demonstrate particular holds. He also might do some more standard types of "strongman" stunts, being that he was the Most Perfectly Developed Specimin of Manhood in his day and certainly among the Strongest Menaround, period.
Others like the Mighty Polish Wrestler/Strongman,Stanislaus Zbyszko did exhibition Wrestling using other wrestlers to demonstrate holds, escapes and maneuvers. He would also have at least some example of pure strength, for he was known for being a Strength Athlete before his Ascendency to World's Heavyweight Wrestling Champion.
We had a lot of Boxers and Wrestlers doing Vaudeville Gigs as a sideline to their ring careers. Names like John L. Sullivan, James J. Corbett, Bob Fitzsimmons and even the Manasa Mauler, Jack Dempsey took a turn or two at this show business* So now, down to more recent times, we find that NBC was sold a bill of goods by the WWF(World Wrestling Federation) to do a network Wrestling Show on Saturdays(and later some Fridays). They weren't at the total control. So Much of the content was left up to the WWF President, one Vince McMahon, Jr.
Well, being a viewer who had been in the Wrestling business, marginally as a real under-card, prelim type guy, my own view of the Weekly Shows was probably just a little different than yours.
First off, let's say that they were on to something when the WWF initiated this Network Show. At the show's inception, the advertising raved about its being "...the 1st Network Wrestling Show in over 30 Years!", and they were right. Secondly, they did provide us(the viewing audience)with some really good, exciting Matches. They were really "getting over" with the public, as my observations of our daughters, Jenn and Michelle (14 & 11 respectively), and they were beginning to take some interest.
One thing that "The Old School Wrestling" was always proud of was that the appeal of their Wrestling Cards, be they at N.Y.'s Madison Square Garden, Chicago's International Amphitheatre, or even a small town venue like Washington Park, Michigan City, Indiana or the Waverly Beach Ball Room, Beloit, Wisconsin;no matter where, the crowd was always representative of a wide cross section sampling of people from all walks of life.
And they all rooted or hooted for various Wrestlers for some various reasons, based on the WRESTLER'S OWN RING PERSONA, not one handed out to him by the "Mr. Big Shot",Super Promoter. In this case, Mr. Promoter seemed (and still seems)more interested in carrying on some silly Soap Opera type of storyline involving the goings-on between the Wrestlers and their various Mgrs.,Stooges, Girl Valets, Entoureges, etc.! As a problem, the matches were too often interrupted while in progress for a commercial break. And one could wonder, just what we missed!(If indeed, Anything!) A new format should be found in which the commercials could be done in segments where there is ample time to disburse the important sales info in between interviews or some silly "Flower Shop" or other bit of non-wrestling nonsense segment.
Another point,and a very important one is to quote the Bard of Avon, "...It is the Play that is the Most Important Thing!", That's right, the Matches be they Broadcact or Live, In House are the most important thing; and not the individual Wrestlers, not the Ring Announcer's Personality and certainly not the Promoter.
Let's hope that we do again get a network wrestling show again that Mr.Network and Mr. Big Time Wrestling Promoter apply just a few common sense ideas to its itinerary.
They might be surprised about those viewers, of Viewers, of whom Mr. P.T.Barnum said that "..there's a _________born every minute!" Wrestling Fans don't fall into that category!
NOTE:* Possibly the most unique and thrilling Act was that of Martin"Farmer" Burns, who would go through a real hanging of himself, complete with the standard hangman's noose and the trap door drop. He survived it time and time again due to his tremendous Neck Development.
Others like the Mighty Polish Wrestler/Strongman,Stanislaus Zbyszko did exhibition Wrestling using other wrestlers to demonstrate holds, escapes and maneuvers. He would also have at least some example of pure strength, for he was known for being a Strength Athlete before his Ascendency to World's Heavyweight Wrestling Champion.
We had a lot of Boxers and Wrestlers doing Vaudeville Gigs as a sideline to their ring careers. Names like John L. Sullivan, James J. Corbett, Bob Fitzsimmons and even the Manasa Mauler, Jack Dempsey took a turn or two at this show business* So now, down to more recent times, we find that NBC was sold a bill of goods by the WWF(World Wrestling Federation) to do a network Wrestling Show on Saturdays(and later some Fridays). They weren't at the total control. So Much of the content was left up to the WWF President, one Vince McMahon, Jr.
Well, being a viewer who had been in the Wrestling business, marginally as a real under-card, prelim type guy, my own view of the Weekly Shows was probably just a little different than yours.
First off, let's say that they were on to something when the WWF initiated this Network Show. At the show's inception, the advertising raved about its being "...the 1st Network Wrestling Show in over 30 Years!", and they were right. Secondly, they did provide us(the viewing audience)with some really good, exciting Matches. They were really "getting over" with the public, as my observations of our daughters, Jenn and Michelle (14 & 11 respectively), and they were beginning to take some interest.
One thing that "The Old School Wrestling" was always proud of was that the appeal of their Wrestling Cards, be they at N.Y.'s Madison Square Garden, Chicago's International Amphitheatre, or even a small town venue like Washington Park, Michigan City, Indiana or the Waverly Beach Ball Room, Beloit, Wisconsin;no matter where, the crowd was always representative of a wide cross section sampling of people from all walks of life.
And they all rooted or hooted for various Wrestlers for some various reasons, based on the WRESTLER'S OWN RING PERSONA, not one handed out to him by the "Mr. Big Shot",Super Promoter. In this case, Mr. Promoter seemed (and still seems)more interested in carrying on some silly Soap Opera type of storyline involving the goings-on between the Wrestlers and their various Mgrs.,Stooges, Girl Valets, Entoureges, etc.! As a problem, the matches were too often interrupted while in progress for a commercial break. And one could wonder, just what we missed!(If indeed, Anything!) A new format should be found in which the commercials could be done in segments where there is ample time to disburse the important sales info in between interviews or some silly "Flower Shop" or other bit of non-wrestling nonsense segment.
Another point,and a very important one is to quote the Bard of Avon, "...It is the Play that is the Most Important Thing!", That's right, the Matches be they Broadcact or Live, In House are the most important thing; and not the individual Wrestlers, not the Ring Announcer's Personality and certainly not the Promoter.
Let's hope that we do again get a network wrestling show again that Mr.Network and Mr. Big Time Wrestling Promoter apply just a few common sense ideas to its itinerary.
They might be surprised about those viewers, of Viewers, of whom Mr. P.T.Barnum said that "..there's a _________born every minute!" Wrestling Fans don't fall into that category!
NOTE:* Possibly the most unique and thrilling Act was that of Martin"Farmer" Burns, who would go through a real hanging of himself, complete with the standard hangman's noose and the trap door drop. He survived it time and time again due to his tremendous Neck Development.
See also
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