King of the Ring
The inaugural King of the Ring tournament is held. Tito Santana, The Iron Sheik, Ricky Steamboat, Don Muraco and Paul Orndoff try to capture the crown. Muraco defeated Iron Sheik in the final round to claim the crown. Muraco comments.
It’s always an honor to be the first. The tournament that year was at the Patriots’ old stadium outdoors, so it was a big show and very cool.
Wrestlemania 9
Wrestlemania 9 is held at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. This is the first Wrestlemania to be held outdoors. The event features Tito Santana vs Papa Shango, Tatanka vs Shawn Michaels, Lex Luger vs Mr. Perfect and Yokozuna vs Bret Hart.
Pro Wrestling Radio interview
Orndorff comments on competing against Santana in the WWE:
Well, I’ve said this many, many times about Tito Santana. Probably the best matches that I have ever had with anybody were with Tito. Tito was an ex-Kansas City, drafted by the Chiefs, Tito had the same attitude that I had in the ring, same attitude. I felt the very same about him and those comments, Tito’s a school teacher now, he’s a coach, Tito’s very intelligent. Back then Tito had a smart head on him you know, Tito knew how to play the game and I just wish I could have played the game like Tito did, and also keep his honor, and Tito did that, and to his people.
Wrestling101.com interview
Santana talks about winning the WWE World Tag Team Titles in 1979:
My wrestling career got moving very quickly, I never would have expected to have gotten to New York as quick as I did especially when I didn’t have a wrestling family and I didn’t know anybody in wrestling when I got into the sport. My father wasn’t a wrestler I just came in, there were people that I knew like Terry Funk and Tully Blanchard but to get to New York and then to be teamed up with Ivan Putski that was a big shot in my arm, then we won the titles in Madison Square Garden, and whenever you do anything in Madison Square Garden it is an unbelievable feeling, and my career went from nothing to the top overnight.