Rowdy Roddy Piper V Rick McGraw (WWF 1985)

[ckendall67]

Yeah, this turned out to be McGraw's last match sadly, as he died only a couple days after this show aired........

[exitthedragon]

McGraw was a better wrestler then alot of the wwe stars of today, vince just wasted good wrestlers

[boostimalaka1]

I remember this match and the previous Piper's Pit which McGraw insulted Piper. Everyone thought in school he died from the beating Piper gave him. Bruno called it a form of a Pile Driver. Cool move known as the DDT. Play Boy Buddy Rose and Adrian Adonis used that move also. Jake The Snake Roberts used that move on George Wells in WM2 at Nassau Coliseum...George puked !

[dicky6011]

Rick McGraw died of a drug over dose of downers on November 1, 1985!

According to his book by (Bret Hart) about pro wrestling. Rick had a one year old daughter at the time! Really sad!

He went to high school with a friend of my brothers in Charlotte, NC 1974! He died two months after Jay Youngblood (September 2, 1985) another westler who westlered in the old NWA! Ever since then it seems these guys keep dropping dead year after year!

[mkl62]

On Donahue, Superstar Billy Graham said that McGraw died of an enlarged heart. Sad that McGraw was a journeyman most of his career.

[JasonL77]

I didn't notice it when I first watched the match, but did anyone else notice the irony in Bruno's comment of "Save McGraw for another day." I'm not makeing light of what happened to McGraw, obviously tragic, but still, rather ironic when you think about it.

[TheMashwatcher585]

i remember watching this match on superstars

[landrykkb]

@TheMashwatcher585 Me too,it aired on November 2,1985.

[TheMashwatcher585]

i  remember watching this mtack on superstars

[JudgeFm]

@TheMashwatcher585 The Referee has the Right to stop the match if the Wrestler is unable to continue in the bout 2nd of all. The referee has the right to stop the match if a Wrestler is off color, 3rd and final, It is the Referee's Option also to stop the match Due to Injury

[beowulf20062006]

I can't think of another match that was halted by a referee stoppage.

[SmilingSynic]

Back in high school, some students actually thought that Piper's beating here was responsible for McGraw's death.

And, no, they didn't graduate!

[chrisz31974]

@SmilingSynic I totally remember that, and I could have sworn that it was even suggested on TV that Piper was responsible. It was either there or in the magazines

[GhostManBrandonDDpre]

Only the second time the DDT was used in WWF. Adrian Adonis used it first, because he was a master innovator. Piper would have seen Jake the Snake in Mid-Atlantic.

McGraw was awesome. Everywhere else he wrestled he won, and he held championships too, but you work where the money is and the money says you are a jobber. Shame too, McGraw actually press slammed a young King Kong Bundy and after the broken neck angle with Killer Khan the kids loved him.

He could have been tag champ a couple of times

[criceto]

the video is mute

[JasonL77]

@criceto Are you sure there's nothing wrong with your speakers or something?  I can here it just fine.

[ants84]

The one death under Vince McMahon's watch that is always ignored.

[John6yt]

Too bad they cut away for the reply, it looks like Roddy went back into the ring to beat on McGraw some more

[RAV52]

Bruno's words at the end of this video are haunting... Just listen to them. R.I.P. Quick Draw.

[MrGonza666]

The Best of the Best

[wrestlemaniaIII]

I can only assume that this match was shown the Saturday before the wrestling classic. If this is the case then Rick Mcgraw was already dead. The Saturday before the classic was November 2 and Mcgraw died on the 1st.

[danteras23]

Rick McGraw was a jobber deluxe. He could actually give a good match and make you think he could win. 

[dja69]

This was Rick McGraw's last match.

[JIMMYLINE]

@dja69 McGraw died literally only days after this match--which was his last.

[The80srox]

Was this Pipers first official WWF TV singles match during his 80s run? (I just found out recently he did a WWWF match in 1979 on TV)

[willisapril]

I remember this. 2 days later McGraw died. but the true story was he overdosed on placidyls. but they called it a hart attack

[VolumedMusicMan]

NEVER call out Hot Rod!!!!!

[Sargebri]

There was an urban legend going around for years that McGraw died as a result of injuries suffered in this match.

[abc1000001]

They didn't know what a DDT was. Neither McMahon or Sammartino had a name for it.

[Vergadoce]

@abc1000001 sorry but that's a weak version of Jake Roberts, who invented the DDT back in Mid-South Wrestling. The guy doesn't roll over. When Jake did it, he drove a guy straight down into the canvas forehead first. And he did it w/more authority, with a snap. Piper's version and a lot of others who copied Jake is a poor imitation of it. That's not a DDT

[abc1000001]

@Vergadoce My point still stands though, they had no knowledge of what that move is called. Did Jake Roberts have the DDT at this time? I have no idea.

[domirules28]

@abc1000001: depends on when in '85 this happened...jake roberts debuted in october or november of 1985

[abc1000001]

@domirules28 I have always felt that the WWF's knowledge of moves in pro wrestling was weak. I never heard of the word lariat used in the WWF, I've heard it used in the NWA.

[quietriotfan1976]

@domirules28

Roberts debuted in 1986. There is a match from mid south that took place between Roberts and Terry Taylor from Feb. 1986, which was shortly before Jake debuted (and destroyed George Wells at WMII)

[Reborn8303]

@domirules28 This was from Oct 85. Jake Roberts arrived to the WWF as it was called back then in early 86. as to why they didn't call those moves Piper was doing the DDT i don't know?

[buck2239]

I guess case in point if you are a jobber, don't piss off Piper!

[dp100eboggan]

Great vid quality!

[MRDXKLIQ101]

too bad rick killed himself

[MrNYCman530]

Piper looked like he needed a prozac!

[Toiletcoffee]

Was this the program that was on late Friday nights on WUTV Buffalo 29 back in 1986 ?

[Reborn8303]

@Toiletcoffee This was From WWF Championship wrestling Oct 85

[SNAKEEYESSAM]

when i was a kid i thought mcgraw died from injuriues from this match.lol.

[slimmsayton]

@SNAKEEYESSAM Me too. I saw this beating and, a week later, I hear McGraw's dead. I just assumed Piper did it.

[lockenjr]

how many heels were like piper in that he could just hulk up like a punch didnt hurt. Piper was the original he was harcore before it was cool

[philldholes]

@supersugar60 McGraw od'd he had a major drug problem it's said several times that he often passed out in his dinner. That's in several reports of wrestlers if you look it up you'll find it. Bret Hart mentions it, so does Billy Graham.

[1000holds]

The Rowdy One lives up to his name, kicking and pounding the opponent into submission, even grinding a boot on his face to humiliate him at 5:10. Nice squash match, thanks for posting.

[maddogwrestlingfan]

This was Ric's last match on TV. He was found dead not to long after of a heart attack ( lots of dope in his blood). McGraw's death should of signaled all the abuses that was going on in wrestling. But the greed of the promoters and owners to be wouldn't hear of it. Now how many of our wrestlers have died and for what...