WWF on MSG Network

WWF on MSG Network
GenreProfessional wrestling
Created byVincent J. McMahon
StarringWorld Wrestling Federation roster
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Production companyWorld Wrestling Federation
Original release
NetworkMSG Network
ReleaseAugust 7, 1976 (1976-08-07) –
March 16, 1997 (1997-03-16)
Related
WWE MSG Classics

WWF on MSG Network (also advertised as WWF from Madison Square Garden) was a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). It was a monthly television special that aired live from Madison Square Garden on the MSG Network from August 7, 1976, to March 16, 1997.[1] The program featured live wrestling matches and interviews with WWF wrestlers. Updates of current feuds and several major title changes also took place on the show.

As of May 2022, 44 of the 151 total episodes are currently on the WWE Network,[2] listed in the WWE Old School playlists.[3]

History

World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) began airing their monthly television special WWWF on MSG Network on August 7, 1976, after several years of airing their monthly Madison Square Garden shows on HBO. Several notable title changes took place on the show including Bob Backlund winning his first WWWF World Heavyweight Championship by defeating Superstar Billy Graham on February 20, 1978. The show was renamed WWF on MSG Network after the promotion changed its name to "World Wrestling Federation" in March 1979. The show was an important event and equivalent to today's pay-per-view events. Many important matches and storyline developments took place on the show, for example, Hulk Hogan's rise to stardom began on the show when he defeated The Iron Sheik to capture his first WWF Championship on January 23, 1984. With the rise of Hogan's popularity and WWF's national expansion, the show lost its significance following the first pay-per-view event WrestleMania in 1985. With the addition of more pay-per-view events and the introduction of Saturday Night's Main Event as a nationally televised monthly special, the WWF on MSG Network was discontinued after 1992. WWF aired one final event on the MSG Network on March 16, 1997.

Title changes

WWF on MSG Network had many notable title changes.

Legacy

Although WWF discontinued live wrestling shows on the MSG Network, WWE began airing a new television show in 2006 called the MSG Classics which featured clips and matches from WWF's house shows at the Madison Square Garden and the show aired on the MSG Network from 2006 to 2009.

References

  1. ^ "WWF Ring Results 1976". The History of WWE. Archived from the original on 26 September 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  2. ^ "WWF / WWE Houseshows [Madison Square Garden (NY)]". Archived from the original on 2022-08-20. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  3. ^ "WWE Old School". Archived from the original on 2021-07-23. Retrieved 2022-04-05.