Wendi Richter Is Candid About Her Dislike For The Fabulous Moolah
On the night of November 25, 1985, WWF Ladies Champion Wendi Richter entered Madison Square Garden for her scheduled championship match. What ensued would become known as "The Original Screwjob."
One of the most popular wrestlers during the "Rock 'N' Wrestling Connection," Richter was prominently featured on magazine covers as well as the Hulk Hogan CBS Saturday morning cartoon. Having spent nearly eight months holding the WWF Women's Championship, the Hall of Famer felt undercompensated during her reign.
"Every penny I made went to hotels, rental cars and food," Richter during a recent appearance on "Busted Open." "I made less than the opening matches, and I was, most the time, semi main-event. When they would talk about what they were making, I was making like a third of what they were making, and that was opening matches. And that was my complaint with the WWF at the time."
In November 1985, having thus far refused to sign a new contract, Richter entered Madison Square Garden to face a woman known as The Spider Lady, who Gorilla Monsoon described on commentary as "the latest hope and find of The Fabulous Moolah." After about six minutes, The Spider caught Richter in a small package. Though it was evident Richter kicked out at one, the referee continued with a fast three-count. When the bell rang, a confused hush fell upon MSG, prompting Monsoon to say, "What was that? That was a three count?"
Unmasking of The Spider
After 10 seconds of confusion, Richter charged The Spider, punched her, and unmasked her to reveal Moolah.
"I wish I would've knocked her dentures down her throat," Richter said on "Busted Open."
With the mask off, Moolah attempted to run out of the ring, but Richter grabbed her by the hair and drilled her with another punch. Richter then picked Moolah up for a slam she turned into a backbreaker and grapevined the leg for a three-count that never came.
When a perplexed Howard Finkel announced Moolah as the new Women's Champion, Richter pried the championship out of the referee's hands and whipped Moolah with the belt until Moolah fled the ring. Richter never spoke to Moolah again — she maintains she didn't know Moolah was The Spider because "her whole body was covered and she was under a mask."
Richter never wrestled for the company again, but she told Busted Open that prior to her Hall of Fame induction in 2010, WWE wanted her to participate in a Battle Royal.
"I said, 'Well, if Moolah is going to be in it, I'll do it and I don't even want to get paid. Wrestling that b***h is enough for me,'" Richter said. "But she already died."
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Busted Open" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.