The Original Screwjob: Wendi Richter vs. The Spider Lady
It’s fitting that Wendi Richter is going to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on the same weekend that Bret Hart is appearing at WrestleMania XXVI.
Richter and Hart have something in common. They were both double-crossed in the ring on Vince McMahon’s orders.
Twelve years before the infamous Montreal Screwjob, Richter went into a match at Madison Square Garden as the WWF women’s champion and had the title stolen from her in a conspiracy that involved the referee and her opponent – The Spider Lady, aka The Fabulous Moolah.
For those not familiar with Richter, she was one of the key players in the WWF becoming a pop culture phenomenon in the mid-1980s. The feud between manager Capt. Lou Albano and Cyndi Lauper – one of the hottest pop stars at that time – led to a match on MTV in July 1984 between Richter (with Lauper in her corner) and Moolah (with Albano in her corner). Richter ended Moolah’s 28-year reign as women’s champion in a match that delivered MTV’s highest rating ever at that point and kicked off the WWF’s Rock and Wrestling Connection era.
Richter became a bona fide star in the WWF, but she said in a shoot interview a few years ago that she never felt she was fairly compensated. Richter said she frequently went to McMahon and made it known that she believed she deserved more money.
Things came to a head in November 1985 at Madison Square Garden. Richter was scheduled to defend her title against a masked wrestler known as The Spider Lady. When Richter got to the arena, she noticed that the woman who wrestled as Spider Lady was backstage, but so was The Fabulous Moolah. Richter said in the shoot interview that it was highly unusual for Moolah to be at a show that she wasn’t booked on.
When Richter got in the ring to face Spider Lady, she could tell that it was Moolah under the mask, so she knew something was up.
“All I knew was, with [Moolah], I’ve got to look out for myself,” Richter said in the interview. “Everything. She’ll try to hurt you. She’ll try to pin you. And I knew she couldn’t pin me. She couldn’t. But what I didn’t count on was the referee getting paid off.”
Several minutes into the match, Spider Lady got Richter in a small package. Richter got her shoulder up after a count of one, but the referee quickly slapped the mat two more times, and the bell rang. At that point, it was mass confusion.
Richter went after Spider Lady and ripped off the mask, revealing Moolah. Richter then kept trying to continue the match. She slammed Moolah and went for a cover, but the referee wouldn’t count. Howard Finkel then announced Moolah as the new champion. Richter pried the belt away from the referee and refused to give it up. Moolah then tried to snatch it from Richter, but she was unable to do so and left the ring without it.
“I was so angry that I just walked right out of the building right in my wrestling suit, wrestling boots,” Richter said. “I grabbed my bag, went out and hailed a cab – and it was cold; it was in November – and went to the airport in my wrestling outfit and got my ticket. And then I went in the bathroom and put my clothes on at the airport.”
Richter neither wrestled in WWE nor spoke to Moolah – who trained her – ever again.
At the time, I think the majority of fans were confused with the way the title change went down. Obviously there was no Internet, and the insider newsletters were nowhere near as prevalent as they are today. I was 18 and had been a fan for over a decade, but I didn’t know anything about double-crosses. I thought everything was scripted and all the wrestlers were friends, although I do remember thinking how awkward the finish to that match and the post-match action looked. Unlike the Montreal Screwjob, the Richter-Spider Lady match was quickly forgotten and never referenced again on WWE television.
I’ll be very interested to hear Richter’s induction speech, not that I really expect her to say anything controversial. WWE announced that Roddy Piper will induct her, but I think Hart would have been a better choice.
Here is video of the Richter-Spider Lady match:
Comments
Can you imagine if someone now held a belt for 28 years? I'd love to see HHH as a 70 year old still holding on to a title.
Posted by: Sam | February 24, 2010 1:37 PM
This one does appear to be a true screw job. But I have always maintained the Bret Hart "screw job" was a total work with Hart totally in on it all along.... Think about it, why was Vince at ringside if it wasn't a work???
Posted by: Shawn Patrick | February 24, 2010 2:17 PM
One big question that isn't answered here is "why?" I've heard it was about Wendi not signing her new contract, but is there more to it than that?
RESPONSE FROM KE: The way Richter talked in the shoot interview it was all about money. She felt she was vastly unerpaid and she voiced her grievances to Vince every chance she could so, so it sounds like Vince got tired of it. She said that Vince wanted someone who would just be happy to have a good spot and be on TV, but she wanted to get paid.
Posted by: budpaul | February 24, 2010 2:18 PM
Actually, I think Cyndi Lauper would have been the ideal person to have inducted her.
But given that the Richter-Moolah match had its genesis in Piper's Pit I don't see anything wrong with the Rowdy One doing the induction.
RESPONSE FROM KE: I agree that Lauper would be the perfect person to induct her. I was just being sarcastic about Hart because they were both screwed over.
Posted by: Aaron Goldstein | February 24, 2010 2:26 PM
Kev, you don't think this will somehow tie in to Bret's appearance? Maybe there is more to the timing than we know...
Posted by: Bob D | February 24, 2010 2:33 PM
28-year title reign? Its much more impressive to be the champ 16 times.
/sarcasm off
Posted by: Chris | February 24, 2010 2:42 PM
Kevin, thanks for that post. I read everything that you contribute to this blog, and I never thought that this topic would pique my interest, but I have to say that it was extremely interesting and well-written. Obviously, I will look forward to more history capsules.
Great work!
Posted by: Andrew | February 24, 2010 2:58 PM
What I'm struck by watching that video is how much the fans seem to care about it. Let's be honest, the wrestling wasn't good - it was on a Bella Twins level. But the crowd is into it!
Posted by: Michael in Virginia | February 24, 2010 3:26 PM
Why did Vince screw her (figuratively, that is)? Did he ask her to drop the belt and she refused like Bret?
Posted by: Ted | February 24, 2010 4:10 PM
Kevin,
You're one of the first people to address this story from this angle. Kudos. Wendi Richter (or more appropriately Cyndi Lauper) was one of the main reasons I started watching wrestling back in the 80s. And while she may not have gotten the mainstream exposure that Hulk Hogan received, her connection to Lauper and her feud with Moolah was one of the main draws in the Rock-N-Wrestling Era of the WWE. Can anyone think of another time with the second most popular person in the business was a woman? It had happened before and hasn't happened since. Richter deserved to be in the HOF years ago and seeing her inducted is one of the true joys the WWE has brought this fan in a long time. Good job Vince, congratulations Wendi!
Posted by: jonz | February 24, 2010 4:22 PM
It doesn't help that Moolah was, by every account I've seen, just a rotten excuse for a human being who pimped out (literally) and exploited every young female wrestler she came into contact with.
Posted by: David | February 24, 2010 5:09 PM
I have read that the Ultimtae Warrior was going to be the star inductee to the Hall this year and has backed out. Have you heard about that???
RESPONSE FROM KE: Yeah, I read it somewhere.
Posted by: G | February 24, 2010 5:13 PM
Interesting.
It actually looks like a really well played storyline, like Punk screwing Undertaker last year!!!
When Wendy hits Moolah with the belt, do you think she genuinely wants to hurt her? Or do you think she's being very professional and making it look like part of the action, sort of improvising?
All I know is that I might be a bit annoyed with Moolah, quite a bit, but I would've run to the back and be whipping Vince with that belt!!!
Wendy is really attractive. She could've been my ideal woman. Shame I was only three at the time!
Posted by: John Wilding | February 24, 2010 5:19 PM
Kev, wasn't the Bob Backlund "throwing in the towel" match against the Iron Sheik a screwjob as well? If so, then THAT would be the OS..........
RESPONSE FROM KE: It is my understanding that Backlund knew that he was dropping the title that night. The throwing in the towel bit was a way for Backlund to claim that he lost the title without being pinned or submitting.
Posted by: Horseman420 | February 24, 2010 6:10 PM
wasn't moolah's 28-year reign not actually 28 years? I remember someone on a trivia show saying she actually had lost it once or something.
RESPONSE FROM KE: She lost and regained it a few times but they were never acknowledged on a national basis (remember, no Internet and few newsletters then). Moolah's 28-year reign is kind of like Andre being undefeated until 1987 and Flair only being a 16-time world champion (it's more like 20).
Posted by: MechanicalBull | February 24, 2010 6:48 PM
Watching this old clip makes me yearn for the days when the ladies wore the bathing suits as ring attire and Gorilla and the Body were on commentary.
Posted by: FLOW | February 24, 2010 7:27 PM
Migh have been a good, pre-emptive move by Vince. Think this was well before the Women’s title got dumped in a trash can on WCW.
Posted by: Chris | February 24, 2010 7:45 PM
kev what is going on with you & WNST i haven't heard you on the air in over a month i really enjoy hearing your commentary on the radio even though it is mostly what you say here byt none the less i still enjoy it for me it's like your man crush for watching HBK wrestling is = or slightly less than my listen to your comments.
RESPONSE FROM KE: Taking a little hiatus. I may start it up again.
Posted by: frank from dundalk | February 24, 2010 8:19 PM
Why is she even being inducted to the Hall of Fame she was in wrestling for like 2 years.
Posted by: Elevation | February 24, 2010 8:34 PM
Kev:
I know Vince had to settle with a female referee for sexual harassment, but was there some allegations of something similar with Richter?
RESPONSE FROM KE: I never heard that.
Posted by: Matt | February 24, 2010 8:58 PM
It was rumored that the following individuals were considered to give Wendi's induction speech:
Julius Caesar
Jesus Christ (after the last supper)
Jennifer Aniston
Post-Bash at the Beach Randy Savage
Cheeseheads who stood behind Brett Favre
Anybody who's hired Don King as a promoter
A now Bryan Danielson/Nigel McGuinnesless ROH (I kid)
Posted by: Bignasty247 | February 25, 2010 12:48 AM
I love the announcer's "subtle" references to the referee 'going with the flow' as long as he is 'doing [his] job (@1:27)'. Even on the heels of a shoot finish the announcers are still telling a story through the use of foreshadowing. Brilliant.
Posted by: Bignasty247 | February 25, 2010 12:53 AM
Can you imagine what would have happened had Shawn Michaels and Earl Hebner stayed in the ring, after the Montreal Screwjob, for as long as Moolah and that scumbag ref remained in the ring after the Madison Screwjob?
Posted by: Bignasty247 | February 25, 2010 1:00 AM
Like Hulk Hogan, Moolah overstayed her welcome in pro wrestling, hanging on too long, with diminished skills and talents, and ultimately damaging the product.
Posted by: Mark | February 25, 2010 1:21 AM
After watching this clip, I went back and watched the original match where Ritcher beat Moolah for the title. What impressed me was that the match lasted around 15 minutes, which is much longer than the three minutes that most of the divas matches last today.
Posted by: Johnny Tubbz | February 25, 2010 7:02 AM
Actually, Richter wrestled more than 2 years. Once she left the old WWF, she moved on to the WWC in Puerto Rico and then the AWA when it was going good.
She is very deserving on this honor.
Posted by: Gary | February 25, 2010 2:14 PM
Wow. The finish to that match was about as ugly as Eck's bleach-job.
Posted by: Kelvin | February 25, 2010 3:36 PM
Hey Kevin call me a conspiracy theorist but do you think eric bischoff might be the real reason behind the montreal screwjob because of what he made madusa do with the WWF/E womens title on a live nitro
Posted by: Ryan | February 26, 2010 3:15 AM
The only notable thing Richter ever did was the Cyndi Lauper/Lou Albano stuff. And lets be honest, nobody tuned into that program because they really cared about Wendi Richter.
It would be like if the WWE decided to put Bobby Lashley in the HoF solely because of his participation in the hair vs. hair match, even though his presence in particular did not account for a single additional buy with that PPV.
Posted by: Elevation | February 26, 2010 9:15 AM
"This one does appear to be a true screw job. But I have always maintained the Bret Hart "screw job" was a total work with Hart totally in on it all along.... Think about it, why was Vince at ringside if it wasn't a work???
Posted by: Shawn Patrick "
I doubt Hart was part of the Mont. Screwjob. Rewatch "Wrestling with Shadows," it really showed what Bret went through before and after leaving the WWF. It was heartbreaking for him to leave the WWF, yet even more so to be screwed out of doing what he loved to do by Vince since he was trying to leave on semi-good terms. Vince was bitter because Bret was leaving, and he wanted to show him how bitter he was by screwing him over. The only reason why Vince was at the ring was to watch his plan go down successfully.
Posted by: Kristina | February 26, 2010 3:20 PM
"This one does appear to be a true screw job. But I have always maintained the Bret Hart "screw job" was a total work with Hart totally in on it all along.... Think about it, why was Vince at ringside if it wasn't a work??? -Posted by: Shawn Patrick "
Read his book. If it's a work then Bret Hart has been on salary ever since - his book would have to be a lie and the doco Wrestling with Shadows would have to be a lie too. I don't think someone would go that far for a wrestling storyline. Even Bret Hart - who takes wrestling way too seriously.
Bret has lost way too much because of the WWE to keep an angle going just to keep Vince happy.
Posted by: Katy | February 28, 2010 12:47 PM
IIRC, before the Richter era the Women's title wasn't exclusive to one promotion, even though it was technically the NWA women's title until Moolah bought the rights to it in the late 1970s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabulous_Moolah
One of those little-known facts in wrestling, like the WWF supposedly (and quietly) rejoining the NWA in the late '70s.
Posted by: Randy Brown | March 1, 2010 9:45 PM