1979

1979 was the final year that the WWWF was known by that name.  During the year one of the W's was deleted and it became the World Wrestling Federation.  1979 is the final year that this website will deal with.

This was the first full year with Bob Backlund as the Champion.

As champion Bob Backlund took on some top notch competition in the likes of Peter Maivia, Ivan Koloff, Greg Valentine, Ernie Ladd, Bulldog Brower, Great Hussein & others.

Late in the year IC Champ Pat Patterson has a number of classic bouts with Bob Backlund.

In June of 1979 Pat Patterson defeats Ted DiBiase for the North American Title, Patterson used brass knuckles to win.  The title name was changed to the Intercontinental Title.

 

Tag Teams

The year started with Tony Garea & Larry Zbyszko as the WWWF Tag Team Champions.

Garea & Zbyszko took on some top teams such as Rivera & Stasiak, Stasiak & Maivia, Valiants, & Arion & Rivera.

In March of 1979 the Valiants defeat Garea & Zbyszko to win the titles, this time its Johnny & Jerry.

In October the team of Ivan Putski & Tito Santana won the Tag Titles from the Valiants.

Earlier in the eyar Ivan Putski teamed up with Flying Fred Curry and they had some great TV matches, Curry only stayed about 4 months.

 

Top 10 WWWF Wrestlers of 1979

1. Bob Backlund
2. Bruno Sammartino
3. Pat Patterson
4. Ivan Putski
5. Greg Valentine
6. Ivan Koloff
7. Andre The Giant
8. Peter Maivia
9. Nicolai Volkoff
10. Tito Santana

 

WWWF Fantasy card from 1979

(All matches did take place but not in the same evening)

Johnny Rodz vs Columbian Jaguar

Tony Garea vs Bulldog Brower

Jerry Valiant vs Dom DeNucci

Tito Santana vs Great Hussein

Greg Valentine vs Larry Zbyszko

Ted DiBiase vs Pat Patterson

Superstar Billy Graham & Luke Graham vs Dusty Rhodes & Ivan Putski

Chief Jay Strongbow vs Stan Stasiak

Bruno Sammartino vs Ivan Koloff

Bob Backlund vs Peter Maivia

 

Misc 1979 WWWF

Greg Valentine breaks the leg of Chief Jay Strongbow on a TV match.  Both wrestlers collide and the Grand Wizard takes a water pitcher to revive Greg Valentine.  Valentine puts the figure four leglock on Strongbow and breaks his leg.  Valentine refuses to release the hold and Garea, Zbyszko & DeNucci can't break it, finally Gorilla Monsoon comes in and hits Valentine over the head with the pitcher.  Strongbow is then sent to the hospital via ambulance.